By Abdel Raouf Arnaout and Mohammad Sio
JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL (AA) – The head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Kurilla, held talks with Israeli military officials to assess the outcome of Israeli strikes against Iran, the army said on Thursday.
An Israeli military statement said Kurilla “held a joint panel with the Chief of the General Staff (LTG Eyal Zamir) and senior IDF (army) commanders, during which the achievements of Operation ‘Rising Lion’ and the current situation in nearby and distant arenas were presented.”
The American official also visited the Israeli Air Force Underground Operations Center.
The Israeli army “expresses its gratitude for the strategic coordination during the recent operation,” the statement said.
A 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13 when Israel launched air strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, while the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
The conflict came to a halt under a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.
At the time, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine confirmed that the US operation, dubbed “Midnight Hammer,” targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, was conducted under Gen. Kurilla’s command.