| Even as the countries publicly denounced Israel, documents show how the threat of Iran drove them together, fostered by the U.S. military's Central Command, known as CENTCOM. One document describes Iran and its allied militias as the "Axis of Evil," and another includes a map with missiles superimposed over Gaza and Yemen, where Iranian allies hold power.
Five CENTCOM PowerPoint presentations detail the creation of what the U.S. military describes as the "Regional Security Construct," which included Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates alongside Israel.
CENTCOM led planning meetings on information operations to counter Iran's self-proclaimed role as the regional protector of Palestinians. A meeting in January at Fort Campbell Army base near Nashville also included sessions where U.S. forces trained partners on how to detect and neutralize threats posed by subterranean tunnels — a key tool used by Hamas against the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip.
CENTCOM officials declined to comment on this article. Israel and the six Arab countries that are part of the construct did not respond to requests for comment.
But a former U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military issues, said that the engagements reflect the Gulf Arab states' pragmatism — and their respect for Israel's military prowess.
"They all seem to think the Israelis can do whatever they want, whenever they want, without detection," the former official said. Read more.
CHINESE SPY CONVICTED IN GERMANY
Jian Guo, a naturalized German citizen who monitored Chinese activists in Germany, was convicted of espionage last week. Guo featured in ICIJ's China Targets investigation, which revealed how Beijing uses civilians to spy on regime critics around the world.
ICIJ JOURNALISTS SWEEP COLUMBIA'S CABOT PRIZE
All four winners of Columbia Journalism School's prestigious Maria Moors Cabot Prize, which celebrates career excellence and reporting that deepens understanding across the Americas, were ICIJ staff, members or collaborators — including our Latin America coordinator, Isabella Cota.
JOURNALISM AND CORRUPTION
Join ICIJ Executive Director Gerard Ryle and former U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Susan D. Page for a talk on Oct. 20 on how hidden networks of wealth and influence undermine institutions — and how journalism can help restore accountability. Join the livestream at 11:45 a.m. EDT Monday or attend in person at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy. Register here.
Thanks for reading!
Carmen Molina Acosta
ICIJ's digital producer
P.S. Every year, ICIJ partners with The Double Exposure Symposium, a gathering of investigative journalists and documentary filmmakers taking place in Washington D.C. from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. Explore the schedule here: dxfest.com/schedule | 
