US and Israel begin joint military exercise | Military news

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The training, which includes aerial refueling and long-range strategic strike, comes amid tensions with Iran.

Washington, DC US and Israeli forces have begun joint military exercises in Israel as the two countries deepen security cooperation amid tensions with Iran.

The Israeli military said Monday that the drills would include a number of scenarios, including long-range strategic strikes.

For its part, the US Army Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in the Middle East, said the joint training, part of a series of exercises dubbed Juniper Oak, shows the American commitment to the defense of Israel.

The drill comes less than a week after Israeli forces attacked Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank with airstrikes and hundreds of soldiers, killing at least 12 Palestinians.

But Israeli and US statements suggest the exercise which includes air-to-air refueling of fighter jets needed to hit distant targets was focused on Iran.

This event also demonstrates our full commitment to Middle East security and our ability to deter hostile acts against regional partners, CENTCOM said in a statement.

The Israeli military said in a series of tweets that the drill was aimed at achieving air superiority in the region and cyber defense against a variety of threats and challenges.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right Israeli government in recent weeks for expanding illegal settlements in the West Bank. Washington has also denounced increasing settler violence against Palestinians.

Yet US officials regularly express unwavering support for Israel.

Despite being accused of committing the crime of apartheid by major human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Israel receives at least $3.8 billion in US aid every year.

Biden and his top aides have also emphasized regional integration to advance partnerships between Israel and Arab states against perceived common threats, namely Iran.

Washington has said it would never allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon, which Iran denies seeking.

Efforts to reinstate a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal, which saw Iran slash its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions on its economy, have so far failed.

Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared to dismiss reports of an informal agreement between the two countries that would partially limit Iran’s nuclear program.

In late June, the State Department confirmed that its Iran envoy, Robert Malley, who led previous rounds of indirect talks with the Iranians, is on leave.

Malley told US media that his security clearance was being reviewed. The details of the situation remain unclear.

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