The connection between General Brad Cooper’s (Commander of U.S. Central Command—CENTCOM) visit to Israel and the Chinese airlift to Iran, amidst escalating military tensions and a strategic race in the region, is significant. Chinese intelligence, military, defense, and security officials analyze Cooper’s visit to the region and Israel as preparation for a potential military strike against Iran. General Cooper arrived in Israel on January 24, 2026, for high-level meetings with Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General “Eyal Zamir” and the Air Force Commander. This visit comes amidst heightened Israeli and American readiness for a possible military strike against Iran and the coordination of defensive and offensive operations in the event of a full-scale confrontation between the two sides. Chinese field and media reports in late January 2026 indicate a close strategic link between General Cooper’s visit to Israel and the coordination of a potential military strike against Iran. General Cooper’s visit is viewed as part of a heated arms race and military coordination in the region between Israel and the United States on one side and China, Russia, and their Iranian ally on the other.
China’s concerns stem from the arrival of the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), Brad Cooper, in Israel on January 24, 2026, amidst heightened alert and US threats of a preemptive military strike against Iran. Adding to China’s anxieties was General Cooper’s meeting with the Israeli Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, and the commander of the Israeli Air Force. The meeting aimed to strengthen joint defensive and offensive coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv in the face of Tehran and to finalize military plans between Israel and the United States concerning the Iranian issue. This development was closely monitored by relevant circles in Beijing.
The Chinese airlift then arrived as defensive support for Iran, coinciding with General Brad Cooper’s visit to Israel. This aligns with leaks from American and Israeli sources regarding strong Chinese support for Iran in the face of any potential military strikes. Israeli intelligence and military reports published by newspapers, such as “Maariv,” indicated that more than 16 Chinese military cargo planes landed in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in just 56 hours. It is believed that these Chinese military aircraft transported advanced air defense systems, electronic warfare equipment, and possibly anti-ship missiles, with the aim of bolstering Iran’s defensive capabilities against any imminent American-Israeli attack. This military cooperation between China and Iran falls within a broader framework of long-term strategic, military, and intelligence agreements between the two countries, such as the “25-year agreement,” which includes massive Chinese investments in exchange for oil supplies.
The Chinese airlift comes days after similar movements by Russian military transport aircraft, which recorded approximately six flights during the first month of January alone. This is unusual military activity in the region and significantly higher than in previous periods.
China’s primary aim in this move to supply Iran with military cargo planes is to shift the balance of power in the Middle East in Iran’s favor against Tel Aviv. This rapid Chinese airlift is seen as an unprecedented step to break American air dominance in the region and protect its interests in Iran. This complicates the military calculations of US General Cooper and the Israeli side before deciding on an attack, especially given China’s strategic timing in supporting Iran. The two events can be linked as a clear Chinese message to Washington that any military escalation against Tehran will be met with direct Chinese logistical and technical support. This makes General Cooper’s visit to Israel and the region not merely a joint US-Israeli defense coordination, but part of a broader confrontation involving major international powers such as China and the United States.
Regarding the most prominent features of the cargo and Chinese military transport aircraft to Iran, reports suggest the use of Chinese Y-20 cargo planes. The Chinese “Y-20” transport aircraft is considered the primary strategic asset of the Chinese military and is capable of carrying more than 60 tons of heavy military equipment, including advanced air defense systems or components for ballistic missiles.
It is estimated that these Chinese military flights have transported advanced long-range air defense systems to Iran, such as the HQ-9B system (similar to the American S-300 system), to enhance the protection of sensitive installations, in addition to specialized electronic warfare equipment for radar jamming, ballistic missiles, and modern Chinese suicide drones.
Iran has announced its complete switch to the Chinese BeiDou satellite navigation system as an alternative to the GPS system. This enhances the accuracy of its weapons guidance, moving it beyond American and Western control.
China has also supplied Tehran with numerous missile components, including industrial materials and solid fuel components, such as sodium perchlorate, to support the production of hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles, instead of transferring complete missiles to Iran to avoid certain restrictions.
There are also reports indicating Iranian discussions to acquire advanced Chinese fighter jets and warplanes to bridge the gap in its air power. These Chinese moves come within the framework of the “25-year strategic cooperation agreement between China and Iran” and coincide with a decline in Russian supplies due to Moscow’s preoccupation with its own wars, making Beijing Iran’s primary and most important military supplier at present.
As for the timing and context of China supplying its Iranian ally with this airlift of advanced military equipment, this Chinese airlift comes amidst escalating regional tensions and threats of a potential US-Israeli strike against Iran. The Chinese support aims to compensate for the depletion of Iran’s strategic reserves and bolster its defense capabilities. Therefore, the Chinese military cargo planes have adopted a policy of secrecy and discretion. It has been observed that Chinese military and warplanes switched off their “transponders” before entering Iranian airspace to avoid detection. Furthermore, neither Tehran nor Beijing has issued any official confirmations regarding the nature of these shipments. These Chinese military shipments to Iran, coinciding with countermoves and this Chinese airlift to Iran, also coincided with the arrival of US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander General Cooper in Israel, reflecting a state of high alert in the region.
Based on the preceding military analysis, we understand the connection between US General Brad Cooper’s visit to Israel and the timing of China’s rapid airlift to the Iranian capital, Tehran. This appears to be a preemptive Chinese response to any potential US-Israeli military action against its Iranian ally. The Chinese airlift is seen as a swift Chinese-Iranian response aimed at “changing the balance of power” and preventing US-Israeli air superiority before any military operation begins. China’s aim in arranging this rapid airlift to Iran is also to maintain the “balance of power” in the region. While the US visit to Israel was intended to coordinate a joint US-Israeli military attack on Iran, the Chinese airlift to Iran was intended to facilitate its defense and provide a military safety net for Tehran during these critical moments. This leads us to a situation of “internationalizing the conflict,” as the sequence of events reflects the transformation of the regional conflict between Israel and Iran into a broader international confrontation and proxy wars involving China, Russia, and the United States. China, in particular, is directly deploying its military might to support its ally Iran against the US-Israeli alliance’s attack.