An undated handout photograph shows the Stena Impero, a British-flagged vessel owned by Stena Bulk, at an undisclosed location, obtained by Reuters on July 19, 2019. Photo: Stena Bulk / via Reuters.

Israel is playing a role in a US-led coalition to secure the Persian Gulf from the threats posed by Iran, the Jewish state’s foreign minister revealed on Tuesday.

The Israeli news site Mako reported that Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed the cooperation at a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Katz said Israel was a participant in a dialogue on the Gulf situation with the US and its allies, and was also involved in intelligence operations.

He said that such collaboration was very much in Israel’s interest, as it helped curb Iran’s power and aggression while strengthening burgeoning ties with Gulf Arab states.

Tensions have spiked in the Gulf in recent months, with Iran seizing foreign merchant ships, in particular a British tanker.

Following the incident, Britain announced that it would join the US coalition to secure the strategic waterway, something Katz described as being of great importance.