Germany and Israel ink ‘first of its kind’ military pact to integrate Gaza combat lessons

The German Bundeswehr is significantly expanding its strategic and operational partnership with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), moving to institutionalize joint military exercises and integrate tactical “lessons learned” from Israel’s ongoing combat operations in Gaza.

According to a report by German Foreign Policy, Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, the Inspector of the Army, concluded a high-level visit to Israel last weekend to solidify these ties. This follows recent diplomatic groundwork laid by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reached an accord to deepen cooperation in civil-military “grey zones,” specifically regarding the development of a “Cyber Dome” to shield German infrastructure from digital incursions.

The burgeoning alliance is also expected to encompass joint development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. The IDF has extensively deployed AI for target identification and acquisition during the Gaza conflict, a field where Berlin now seeks closer technical alignment.

This tactical exchange is not without precedent. For years, the Bundeswehr has reportedly utilized the IDF’s “comprehensive operational experience” in the Gaza Strip to train German soldiers in the complexities of house-to-house urban clearing and subterranean tunnel warfare.

German-Israeli military cooperation dates back to the 1950s

The security architecture between the Federal Republic of Germany and Israel spans seven decades. Initial cooperation in the 1950s saw West German authorities providing foundational military hardware, including patrol boats, alongside specialized training for Israeli personnel.

This relationship intensified sharply in the 1990s. Fueled by heavily subsidized exports of advanced German-manufactured submarines, Germany emerged as Israel’s second-largest arms supplier between 2019 and 2023, accounting for 30% of Israel’s total defense imports.

Beyond maritime assets, German industry remains vital to Israel’s ground capabilities. Germany continues to supply MTU engines and Renk transmissions for the Israeli Merkava 4 main battle tank, a platform central to current operations in Gaza.

The practical dimension of this partnership focuses on the “provenance of combat.” The Bundeswehr systematically leverages Israeli battlefield data to refine its own doctrine. Over a decade ago, approximately 110 German military personnel were deployed to the Tse’elim Urban Warfare Training Center to undergo instruction in urban and tunnel combat. According to Bundeswehr leadership, the proficiency demonstrated by Israeli forces in Gaza underscores the necessity of mastering these specific skill sets.

German Air Force participates in joint exercises with Israel

Inter-service cooperation has reached historic levels of integration. While ground forces focus on urban tactics, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) has become a fixture in Israeli-led exercises. Since 2017, Germany has been a regular participant in the biennial “Blue Flag” drills, joining the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, and India.

In 2020, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted its first-ever maneuvers on German soil, participating in the “Blue Wings” and “Magdays” exercises organized under the NATO-affiliated Multinational Air Group.

The symbolic and strategic weight of this relationship is exemplified by General Ingo Gerhartz, the current commander of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum. Gerhartz made Israel his first foreign destination upon becoming Inspector of the Air Force in 2018, and significantly, designated it for his final foreign visit in 2025—a move viewed as a testament to the priority Berlin places on the bilateral defense axis.

Furthermore, since 2019, German drone pilots have been stationed at Israel’s Tel Nof airbase, training within the “Red Baron” squadron. Named after the First World War flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, the unit name has been a staple of German aviation tradition since 1939.

Arms exchange continues unabated

The pace of defense procurement has accelerated since the commencement of the Gaza campaign. In December, the first unit of the Israeli-made Arrow 3 missile defense system became operational in Annaburger Heide, eastern Germany. The system is designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

The financial scope of the project has nearly doubled. While the initial procurement was valued at $3.5 billion, the Bundestag recently approved an extension bringing the total expenditure to over $6.5 billion.

The acquisition has faced domestic scrutiny. Defense analysts have questioned the system’s efficacy against Russia’s hypersonic missiles—currently viewed as Berlin’s primary threat—noting that such missiles operate within the atmosphere, potentially bypassing the Arrow 3’s exo-atmospheric intercept capabilities.

In October, the Bundeswehr also finalized a framework agreement for 200 TAHR light aerial vehicles. Based on a design by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Elta and produced in collaboration with Germany’s FFG (Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH), these vehicles were selected specifically because they were “combat-proven by Israeli Special Forces.”

“Cyber Dome” and AI cooperation

Beyond conventional kinetic weaponry, Berlin is expanding cooperation into dual-use technologies. Following Interior Minister Dobrindt’s January visit, Germany and Israel signed a joint declaration to intensify cybersecurity efforts. The German Interior Ministry described Israel as Germany’s “most important partner” outside of NATO and the EU in this sector.

A central pillar of this new phase is the “Cyber Dome,” a semi-automated system designed to detect, analyze, and neutralize digital threats in real-time. The initiative seeks to foster “innovative defense technologies” through a joint AI and Cyber Innovation Center. This partnership draws directly on Israel’s extensive use of AI in Gaza, particularly regarding the algorithmic processing of targeting data.

German army inspector in Israel: “First of its kind” agreement

The cooperation has now culminated in a formalized systematic agreement between the respective land forces. During his visit, Lieutenant General Freuding announced the signing of a “first of its kind” pact between the Bundeswehr and the IDF.

The agreement covers several organizational fronts: the IDF will advise the Bundeswehr on the integration of women into combat units—a sensitive topic for Berlin following a series of sexual violence scandals within its ranks—and share expertise on the mobilization and integration of reservists. The IDF notably mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists for the Gaza campaign.

Crucially, the agreement mandates closer cooperation in training and maneuvers. Israeli officials reportedly briefed Freuding on tactical lessons extracted from the Gaza front. While specific details remain classified, the transfer of knowledge occurs against a backdrop of international criticism regarding the IDF’s conduct in Gaza, including allegations surrounding the use of civilians as human shields and the humanitarian crisis in the territory.