Israeli Air Force F-15 planes. Photo: Reuters / Amir Cohen.

The Israel Defense Forces have quietly begun to cooperate with the militaries of moderate Arab states to a significant extent in recent months, Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Tuesday.

The military collaboration comes amid a confluence of interests between Israel and Arab states to contain and stage counterattacks against Iran.

This regional sentiment was expressed publicly last week at the Negev Summit, during which US, Israeli, and Arab diplomats met on Israeli soil for the first time.

Yet behind the scenes, military cooperation is even more extensive, according to Channel 13. It includes a focus on joint exercises and operational preparedness for a collective strategy to counter threats from Iran and its proxies in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

The goal is to create a regional defense umbrella that will provide collective security.

In particular, the countries involved want to stop Tehran’s nuclear program, but also have an immediate interest in stemming belligerent and destabilizing activities by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which has included attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Thus far, the effort has been led by Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Nurkin, under whom Jerusalem reversed its policy on providing military aid to Arab countries. It is now willing to do so for countries that have peace agreements with Israel, while continuing to protect its own “Qualitative Military Edge” over its neighbors.

In order not to create difficulties for the countries with which it is collaborating, Israel has kept its assistance confidential.