JERUSALEM (JTA) — Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford visited Israel in his first official overseas visit since assuming the position earlier this month.

Dunford landed in Israel on Saturday night and was welcomed Sunday with an honor guard at the Israel Defense Forces headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Dunford met Sunday with IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Gadi Eisenkot. The two were scheduled to discuss the Iran nuclear deal, as well as Russia and Syria. Dunford also was scheduled to meet Sunday with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro.

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“The trip has been planned for months,” Navy Capt. Greg Hicks, the chairman’s special assistant for public affairs, told the U.S. Department of Defense News. “The purpose is to meet his counterpart for the first time and reaffirm the strong ties between our militaries and our two countries.”

Dunford will stress America’s continuing strong support for Israel, according to Hicks. “He will reaffirm America’s commitment to Israel’s security and then get a view from them of what security conditions are like here,” Hicks said.

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