Exposed Files Disclose Covert Arab-Israeli Security Alliance

Despite their public condemnation of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza, six Arab states have quietly deepened military and intelligence ties with Tel Aviv through a U.S.-led regional security initiative focused on countering Iran and Hamas.

Key Points:

Leaked documents have unveiled a previously undisclosed collaboration between Israel and six Arab nations, coordinated by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) over the past three years. This cooperation, termed the “Regional Security Construct,” aims to address threats from Iran and its proxies, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) participating. Kuwait and Oman are also mentioned as potential future partners.

A 2025 Israeli airstrike in Qatar caused a significant crisis of trust among the partners, leading to an apology from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and exposing underlying tensions within this covert alliance.

In a startling revelation that has reverberated through diplomatic circles, leaked documents obtained by The Washington Post and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) have exposed a secret web of military and intelligence cooperation between Israel and six prominent Arab states. This clandestine collaboration has continued even as Arab leaders publicly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and has been quietly coordinated under the auspices of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) over the past three years.

The verified documents detail the formation and operation of the “Regional Security Construct.” According to The Washington Post, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have all participated in this initiative, while Kuwait and Oman are identified as potential future partners. The primary focus of this initiative is to counter regional threats, primarily from Iran and its allied militias, as well as the tunnel networks used by Hamas in Gaza.

Despite the public denunciations by Arab leaders, who have labeled Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as “genocidal” and accused it of “starvation” and “ethnic cleansing,” the leaked files reveal that senior Israeli and Arab military officials have been meeting in secret at locations such as Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar. In a particularly sensitive episode in May 2024, delegations convened at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a major U.S. military hub. The Israeli team deliberately bypassed Qatar’s civilian points of entry to avoid public scrutiny.

The documents underscore the covert nature of these meetings. One planning memo, written just days before the Al-Udeid summit, instructed participants not to take photographs or allow media access. A bolded note at the top of the itinerary even reminded organizers of dietary restrictions: “No pork / crustaceans.” The message was clear—discretion was paramount.

At the center of this cooperation lies a shared anxiety over Iran’s expanding influence in the region. The files describe Iran and its proxies as the “Axis of Evil” and include maps depicting missile threats emanating from both Gaza and Yemen, where Iranian-aligned groups hold sway. According to CENTCOM presentations, the security network was designed to foster joint responses to these challenges, with the U.S. acting as facilitator and guarantor.

However, this collaboration has not been without its strains. In September 2025, an Israeli airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar’s capital triggered a significant crisis among the partners, reportedly killing at least one Qatari security official. Under pressure from then-U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu issued a formal apology to Qatar on September 29 and pledged to refrain from similar actions in the future. This incident exposed underlying tensions and highlighted the fragility of the secret partnership.

Emile Hokayem, director of regional security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, remarked to The Washington Post that the U.S. has long hoped military cooperation would pave the way for political normalization between Israel and Arab states. However, he cautioned, “While quietly working with the countries’ military leaders may circumvent thorny political discussions, this approach also obscures or hides the reality of the tensions between the parties.” He added that after the Israeli strike in Qatar, “A key member of the American effort has attacked another, with America seen as complacent, complicit, or blind. The resulting distrust will mar American efforts for years to come.”

Thomas Juneau, a professor at the University of Ottawa specializing in Middle East security, echoed these concerns, stating, “There’s a lot of concern in Gulf states about what an unshackled Israel will do. But at the same time, they are reliant on the U.S. as the guarantor of their security and are also very concerned about Iran.”

Beyond intelligence sharing and confidential meetings, the documents reveal a robust program of joint military training. In September 2025, troops from the U.S., Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UK, India, and Jordan participated in exercises designed to counter tunnel threats—an evident nod to the tactics employed by Hamas in Gaza. Earlier, in January 2025, a significant training session was held at Fort Campbell Army base in Kentucky, where U.S. forces instructed partners on detecting and neutralizing underground threats. CENTCOM personnel also led sessions aimed at promoting a narrative of “regional prosperity and cooperation.”

The documents further highlight Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in the intelligence-sharing apparatus. Despite lacking formal diplomatic ties with Israel, Saudi officials provided crucial information not only to Israel but also to other Arab countries, including Yemen and Syria, particularly concerning ISIS operations. In 2024, both Saudi Arabia and Jordan reportedly joined an international alliance to intercept Iranian missiles and drones fired at Israel, underscoring the realpolitik underpinning these secret alliances.

Yet, even as these Arab states engaged in the “Regional Security Construct,” their leaders maintained a steadfastly critical public stance. At the UN General Assembly in September 2025, Qatar’s emir denounced Israel’s actions as “a genocidal war waged against the Palestinian people” and accused Israel of being “a state hostile to its environment, complicit in building an apartheid system.” The Saudi Foreign Ministry used equally strong language, condemning Israel for “starvation” and “ethnic cleansing.”

Security analysts cited by All Israel News noted that this duality—public condemnation alongside private cooperation—reflects deep-seated anxieties in Gulf capitals. The Gulf states fear an unbridled Israel while remaining heavily dependent on U.S. security guarantees and increasingly concerned about Iran’s growing power. As Professor Juneau observed, “The Gulf states fear an unrestrained Israel but depend on the U.S. and worry about Iran’s growing strength.”

Looking ahead, the leaked documents indicate that the security network is preparing for the future. Plans are reportedly underway for a “Middle East Cyber Center” and a regional “Information Fusion Center” aimed at enhancing real-time defense data sharing for Arab and Israeli security experts by 2026. While the recent crisis over the Israeli strike in Qatar has thrown these ties into turmoil, this cooperation could yet play a crucial role in overseeing the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, agreed upon in early October 2025.

Notably, no involved Arab governments or U.S. officials have publicly confirmed the existence or extent of this cooperation. The entire account rests on the trove of documents verified by The Washington Post and the ICIJ. As the region stands at a crossroads, these revelations provide a rare glimpse into the shadowy world of Middle Eastern security, where public rhetoric and private actions often diverge significantly.

For now, the future of the “Regional Security Construct” remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the tectonic plates of Middle Eastern alliances are shifting—sometimes in ways that even the most seasoned observers could scarcely have imagined.