A US helicopter carrier anchored off the Israeli Port of Eilat in the Red Sea Monday as US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are launching joint amphibious exercises.
The drills are one of the first major joint exercises between CENTCOM and the IDF since Israel was transferred from US European Command to CENTCOM’s area of responsibility earlier this year. In August, CENTCOM and Israel held their first joint aerial exercises that involved F-35 fighter jets from both countries.
The US said the amphibious exercises will involve about 500 troops, most of them from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. “The troops will take part in a multi-branch exercise for two weeks, in which they will train with counter-terrorism forces, commando forces and expose-attack forces, simulating warfare techniques in open areas and urban environments,” the IDF said, according to The Times of Israel.
Israel previously was covered under EUCOM since it did not have formal relations with many US allies in the Middle East. The Trump administration ordered Israel to be moved under CENTCOM in January of this year in light of Israel normalizing with the UAE and Bahrain.
Last week, the IDF sent a representative to CENTCOM headquarters in Florida, solidifying the change. The idea is to make it easier for the US, Israel, and the Gulf states to cooperate more easily against Iran.
“Through cooperation in training, intelligence and operational planning, we will continue to tackle current challenges, chief among them the Iranian threat. I have no doubt that the joint work with CENTCOM and Gulf countries will continue to lead Israel and its security to great achievements,” an IDF officer said last week.
Over the past few months, Israel has stepped up its rhetoric against Iran and is constantly threatening to attack, and the US has joined in on the threats. On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken would not rule out military action in the event that the Iran nuclear deal is not salvaged.
“If the Americans attack Iran, the world will change. They will not dare to make such a mistake.”
~ Akbar Rafsanjani, former President of Iran.
The world changed when we attacked Afghanistan and Iraq.
The military capabilites of Iraq and Afghanistan were nothing compared to Iran. I have had this conversation in this thread:
https://disq.us/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.antiwar.com%2F2021%2F11%2F01%2Fblinken-wont-rule-out-military-action-against-iran%2F&key=3ap8zN2BgYMT0_ptXWuV0A
Were to God that you are correct.
Keep in mind, the United States already murdered Soleimani. If Iran were to have blatantly murdered an American general in broad daylight, you can imagine what the consequences would be.
United States of Israel. CENTCOM now operational hqtrs for IDF.
“The Trump administration ordered Israel to be moved under CENTCOM in January of this year in light of Israel normalizing with the UAE and Bahrain.”
Another one of Trump’s disasters that team Senile is continuing. I said all along that there was no difference between these old bastards and I’m being proved right. A lateral move with a tad more senility and a tad less narcissism.
Pretty cute of Trump. How can Biden unravel it?
Biden could unravel it with the stoke of a pen.
He does not want to.
The same could be said to Trump apologists, not so long ago.
“Last week, the IDF sent a representative to CENTCOM headquarters in Florida, solidifying the change.”
Was he sleeping while that was happening?
And from Daniel Larison:
“In the case of Morocco, Trump recognized their illegitimate claim on Western Sahara in one of the more gross transactional deals that he made as president. To his discredit, Biden has not reversed that recognition.”
Another example of Biden refusing to “unravel”.