The Daily Populous Monday July 27th, 2026 night edition
Authored by ynetnews.com and submitted by NotSoSaneExile

President Isaac Herzog spoke Sunday afternoon with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, in a call initiated by the Bahraini side.

In a rare move, the king also asked that the conversation be made public, marking the first such disclosure in years and coming against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf. The two leaders also spoke last week.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and President Isaac Herzog in 2022 ( Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO )

Bahraini officials said the conversation focused on regional developments and relations between the two countries within the framework of the Abraham Accords.

“I just held a phone call with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain,” Herzog said in an official statement.

“During the call, we discussed the friendship and relations between Israel and Bahrain, as well as the importance of the US-led Abraham Accords in strengthening security, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East. We also spoke about recent developments in the region.”

“Bahrain is an important country in the Middle East, and I congratulated the King on his bold leadership and vision for the region,” Herzog added.

The relationship between the two leaders has developed over several years and has grown closer in recent years. This is the first time in years that such contact has been publicly acknowledged.

Bahrain has an interest in strengthening its ties with the West, particularly with the United States and Israel. The public disclosure of the call is also seen as a signal to Iran that Bahrain remains close to Israel and enjoys the backing of both Jerusalem and Washington.

Condor2015 on July 26th, 2026 at 18:20 UTC »

They also apparently joined in on the Iran strikes alongside Kuwait, though I don’t believe either country has officially acknowledged it.

sweltering_babbling on July 26th, 2026 at 16:32 UTC »

Publicizing the call says more than the call itself.

NotSoSaneExile on July 26th, 2026 at 15:51 UTC »

Bahrain’s king personally called Israeli President Isaac Herzog and asked for the conversation to be made public. They discussed regional tensions, relations between Bahrain and Israel, and the Abraham Accords. Israeli officials also believe Bahrain may be interested in Israeli missile defense systems.

This is significant because, after years of wars and growing tensions involving Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and other Iranian-backed groups, Bahrain is openly showing that it still sees Israel as an important security partner. By publicizing the call, Bahrain is sending a message that the Abraham Accords remain alive and that it wants to stay close to Israel and the United States.

Bahrain is a small Gulf country located near Iran and has long feared Iranian influence. This public move helps position it clearly with the Western and Israeli camp, and against the Iranian axis, even while many other Arab governments have tried to keep their relations with Israel quieter during the recent wars.