In the midst of rising tensions between Iran and America, Israeli forces began a four day maritime drill in Red Sea.
The US and Israeli navies have launched a four-day joint exercise, drilling together in the Red Sea amid rising concern over the threats posed by Iran’s maritime forces.
According to the statement of the US 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, the drill will continue through Thursday. It will concentrate on “mission planning, maritime interdiction and other drills at sea,”The 5th Fleet stated.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF). confirmedJoint maneuvers. The US Navy announced that the INS Keshet anti-missile ship and INS Eilat Corvette would participate alongside US warships. The US Navy’s vessels participating in this exercise are the USS Nitze guided missile destroyer, USS Lewis B. Puller mobile bases vessel, and USNS Matthew Perry cargo ships.
Joint drills have been held by US and Israeli navy forces this year. Israel participated in an exercise at the Red Sea in November last year that was led and co-ordinated by the 5th Fleet, which also included Bahrain and the UAE. The IDF claimed that the November drill was necessary to counter Iranian threats against Israeli ships.
After Benny Gantz, Israeli Defense Minister, warned that Iranian naval activities in the area were at their highest levels in many years. “The presence of Iran’s military forces in the Red Sea in recent months is the most significant in a decade,”He stated this last month. “It is a direct threat to trade, energy and the global economy.”
Two US Navy ships faced off against three Iranian speedboats in June at the Strait of Hormuz. 5th Fleet claimed that the Iranian speedboats interacted with US vessels. “in an unsafe and unprofessional manner.”
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