The US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged to support Israel in the next 75 years, saying the special bond will only grow stronger. In solidarity with Israel on its 75th anniversary, McCarthy arrived in Tel Aviv on his first official visit since he assumed the position, heading a bipartisan delegation. He announced upon his arrival that he had visited Israel several times, more than any other country. The Speaker was scheduled to deliver a speech at the Knesset. The delegation included 16 bipartisan members of Congress and the Abraham Accords Caucus, which introduced the Maritime Architecture and Response to International Terrorism in the Middle East (MARITIME) Act. The bipartisan legislation would build on the Abraham Accords by requiring the Department of Defense to develop a strategy with partners and allies in the Middle East to counter maritime threats posed by Iran. The project is based on a law similar to the Air Defense Alliance to protect against missiles and drones, which was approved by Caucus last year, which transferred Israeli air defense systems and missile batteries to the UAE. Senator Jacky Rosen stated that the Abraham Accords had enabled unprecedented security cooperation between Israel and Arab partners. On the same day that the bill was introduced at the Capitol, the head of CENTCOM, General Michael Kurilla, who is responsible for implementing the law, visited the Israeli Army as the guest of Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Herzel Halevi. According to the Israeli army spokesman, the purpose of the visit was to boost relations with the US forces at sea, air, and land. Meanwhile, a political source in Tel Aviv revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Florida Governor Ron Desantis, a potential Republican presidential candidate against former President Donald Trump. The visit to Tel Aviv was described as a "basic launch" for Desantis' electoral campaign, during which he deliberately criticized President Joe Biden's administration. The governor rejected any pressure on Israel, saying the current US policy saved the Iranian regime from falling. Desantis met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the Prime Minister, and several officials. He was a guest of the Jewish settlements council in the West Bank and toured several settlements. However, Netanyahu's office refused to publish a photo or issue a brief statement from the meeting. Political sources in Tel Aviv said that Netanyahu did not publicize the meeting for fear of angering Biden and Trump, Desantis' election rivals.