Israel has provided the US with intelligence on the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, including Kharg Island, amid reports of US military preparations in the region, The Times of Israel reported, citing Israeli military sources.

Last Sunday, Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), held an unannounced meeting with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and some other senior Israeli generals, CNN reported.

The Pentagon has already deployed several hundred special operations forces to the Middle East, according to The New York Times. The latter's sources said that these units will join the US Marines and paratroopers who already are in the region. The newspaper's sources believe that these special forces’ soldiers, as well as the paratroopers and marines, could be deployed to protect the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, or as part of an operation to occupy Iran's oil hub on Kharg Island in the northern Persian Gulf. Moreover, these special forces’ troops could be used to seize highly enriched uranium from Iran's nuclear facility in Isfahan.