Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz speaks at the Reichman University's Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS) in the Mediterranean coastal city of Herzliya on Nov 23, 2021. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)

JERUSALEM - Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz headed on Tuesday to Morocco for an official visit that would "formalize" security cooperation with the North African kingdom, his office said.

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The visit comes less than one year after Morocco normalized ties with Israel in a US-brokered deal

In a statement issued ahead of his departure, Gantz described the two-day trip as "an important historic visit," saying the trip marks "the first official visit by an Israeli defense chief to Morocco."

Gantz is expected to meet the Moroccan defense minister and foreign minister, and to attend a signing ceremony of security cooperation agreements.

"We will continue to strengthen the ties," Gantz noted.

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The visit comes less than one year after Morocco normalized ties with Israel in a US-brokered deal. In August, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid traveled to Morocco for a first visit by Israeli top diplomat since 2003.