This week started the largest stories joint US-Israeli military exercises. One U.S. official familiar with the situation said they would be one of the most significant maneuvers between the two allied states, involving thousands of units, dozens of ships and 142 aircraft, including nuclear-powered bombers. weapons.
The Juniper Oak military exercises will last until Friday, the Pentagon official said, aiming for deep cooperation between the US and Israeli military, especially amid growing tensions over Iran's nuclear program.
The exercise plan includes practicing a strike against Iranian targets, as well as an invasion of enemy territory, including the suppression of an air defense system and the destruction of underground fortified facilities.
Here is how he described the military cooperation between the two states:
I really believe that the scale of the exercises is quite appropriate in terms of the development of various scenarios, and Iran should draw certain conclusions from this. Rather, they mean testing the capabilities of our weapons against external potential threats.
The exercises include live firing, in which more than 6 thousand soldiers of the American army will take part. Most of them are the personnel of the AUG, led by the aircraft carrier "George Bush". Part of the military personnel from the Israeli Armed Forces in the amount of 450 soldiers will work out various maneuvers on land.
In addition to the American B-52 strategic bombers, the US Air Force will use the F-35, F-15, F-16 and F-18.