US, Israeli Begin Joint Ballistic Missile Defense Exercise
JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the United States European Command (US EUCOM) began its biennial ballistic missile defense exercise on Sunday.
The joint exercise, dubbed Juniper Cobra 16, aims at enhancing defensive operations between the two militaries. The joint exercise began in 2001, making this year's the eighth in the series.
The IDF said the exercise, which has been in the planning for more than a year, provides "an opportunity to increase the long-standing cooperation between the military forces." It is unrelated to any specific events or developments in the region.
In preparation for the event, Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even led a group of IDF officers on a tour of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, stationed in the Mediterranean.
More than 1,700 U.S. service members, including civilians and contractors, are taking part in the exercise, which is focusing on computer-simulated events that Israel could face in real time.
"This exercise is a significant milestone in the strategic relationship between the two countries, a security alliance unmatched by any other country in the world," said Brig. Gen. Zvika Haimovich, commander of the IDF's Aerial Defense Division. "This collaboration reflects a commitment to protecting civilian lives, as well as a deep appreciation of the IDF, IAF and the Aerial Defense System."
Maj. Gen. Mark Loeben, director of the US EUCOM's Exercises and Assessments Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, said "Support for Israel's defense has been an integral part of U.S. policy in the region for decades, and this exercise has, and will continue, to directly support that policy," adding that it's "our nation's premier exercise in the region and EUCOM's highest priority exercise for 2016."
Some observers say the joint exercise is evidence the Obama administration hasn't succeeded in torpedoing ties between the two long-time allies, despite the strained relationship between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
