Hundreds of U.S. Marines are participating in an extensive joint exercise with Israeli commandos in Eilat, which is viewed by the Israeli military and politicians as an effort to enhance military readiness ahead of a potential confrontation with Iran, according to the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz." An American aircraft carrier has arrived in Israel with hundreds of U.S. military personnel.
The Israeli military stated, "We will conduct a multi-force joint training for two weeks focusing on intense urban combat and enhancing multi-domain capabilities," adding, "We continue to strengthen our capabilities to address threats in the region."
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, during his remarks prior to a cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, said, "Israel’s standing is being strengthened." He added: "After the Blue Flag exercise, which involved eight of the strongest and best air forces in the world, held in Israel a few days ago, there is another exercise underway in Eilat with our navy and the U.S. Fifth Fleet from U.S. Central Command. Everyone who needs to receive the message will understand it."
The U.S. Department of Defense noted that the drills include "approximately 500 personnel from a Marine unit, including one logistics battalion, an infantry company, a light armored reconnaissance company, and others." According to Channel 12, this unit specializes in responding to "emergencies and crises and is currently focused on training to respond to an Iranian attack on American diplomatic or naval personnel."
The exercises began a day after the U.S. Air Force announced on Sunday that a B-1B strategic bomber flew over key maritime points in the Middle East with allies, including Israel, amid ongoing tensions with Iran, where its nuclear deal with global powers remains uncertain.
Last week, Major General Tal Kalman, tasked with planning Israel's strategy towards Iran, stated that while Israel believes there is a diplomatic solution to end the Iranian nuclear escalation and the possibility of bringing Tehran back to the negotiating table, it understands that it will not retreat from military confrontation.
The Israeli government has ordered the defense establishment to prepare for an attack on Iranian nuclear sites should negotiations fail and the Islamic Republic continues to advance towards a nuclear bomb. These preparations include acquiring specialized equipment, developing advanced intelligence capabilities, along with other comprehensive improvements.
