The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that a high-level meeting featuring military commanders and senior defense officials from 12 Middle Eastern nations was convened on Wednesday, July 1, hosted by the Bahrain Defence Force.
According to the CENTCOM communique, the session was chaired by Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of CENTCOM, and attended by military dignitaries from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
During the deliberations, participants reviewed the current regional security landscape and explored avenues to broaden defense cooperation among regional states. The military commanders firmly reiterated their shared commitment to safeguarding the free flow of commerce through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
"We continue to stand alongside our regional partners," Admiral Brad Cooper stated during the meeting. "These discussions underscored our collective commitment to the security and stability of the region."
CENTCOM further highlighted that the United States and its regional allies are currently operating the largest and most advanced integrated air and missile defense network in the Middle East. According to the command, a Middle East Air Defense Coordination Center was established in January 2026 with the participation of regional states, tasked with real-time intelligence sharing, threat warning dissemination, and emergency response coordination.
