The US Department of Defense announced on Friday that its close ally Israel would be included in the area covered by its Central Command of the Middle East, reported AFP. 

Moreover, according to the rapprochement initiated by outgoing President Donald Trump, the European Command will no longer be handling the dealings of Israel and the US military forces.  

Pentagon said in a statement, “We structure boundaries to best mitigate risk and protect US interests and partners. The easing of tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors subsequent to the Abraham Accords has provided a strategic opportunity for the United States to align key partners against shared threats in the Middle East.”

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The statement was made while indirectly pointing towards Iran, which has been designated as a threat to international peace and security by most countries in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia. 

In the past year, Israel has opened diplomatic communication and eliminated barriers with the Gulf countries with the help of Trump and his initiative of Abraham Accords. 

The newly announced decision from the US Department of Defense has the potential to increase three-way cooperation between the US and Israel and the Gulf countries on matters of security and regional alliances, reported AFP. 

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But it could also complicate CentCom cooperation with Iran allies like Iraq, where the US retains 2,500 troops.

The Pentagon said, “Israel is a leading strategic partner for the United States, and this will open up additional opportunities for cooperation with our US Central Command partners, while maintaining strong cooperation between Israel and our European allies.”