Israel and U.S. prepare for largest-ever joint air force drill
'Junior Cobra' to begin on October 20, week after scheduled start; IDF: Drill unrelated to particular world event.
By Reuters Tags: Israel Air Force Iran Israel newsIsrael and the United States will hold their biggest joint air-defence exercise next week, the Israeli military said, testing missile interceptors that would serve as a strategic bulwark in any showdown with Iran.
The drill, dubbed Juniper Cobra, has taken place every two years since 2001 but now underscores efforts by the Americans to reassure Israel as they and other world powers pursue negotiations to curb Iran's nuclear program.
An Israeli defense official said the maneuvers would begin on October 20, having been postponed from their original October 12 start-date.
But a military spokeswoman, Lieutenant-Colonel Avital Leibovich, said holding the exercise next week did not constitute a postponement.
"The exercise will happen next week in accordance with the original plan," she said.
U.S. forces including 17 naval ships and ground personnel operating the Aegis, THAAD and Patriot missile shields will be meshed with Israel's Arrow II interceptor for the drill, the defense official said.
"It will be the biggest Juniper Cobra ever," the official said, adding the exercise would be overseen by Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, chief of the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet, as well as by the commander of Israel's air defense arm.
The U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv had no immediate word on scheduling. In a statement issued last week, it said Juniper Cobra "is not related to or in response to any world events".
Iran denies seeking a nuclear bomb, but the lack of transparency around its designs and Tehran's rhetoric against Israel have stirred fears of war.
Israel, which is assumed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal, has hinted at the possibility of attacking Iran if it deems diplomacy a dead end.
But some analysts believe Israel's military limitations, and U.S. resistance to the idea of pre-emptive strikes, may force it into a more defensive posture with the help of its top ally.
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"the Israeli military said, testing missile interceptors that would serve as a strategic bulwark in any showdown with Iran." Has anybody thought to stop threatening Iran as a strategy ? Iran has never said they would preemptively attack Israel or America ,whereas both Israel and America talks of attacking Iran .Even without any proof of Iran developing nuclear weapons. And before you disagree find links that show Iran threatening Israel or America to post with your comment.
Iran will surprise you! they already have nukes, those that went missing in the Soviey Union, I guess we will find out sooner or later.
The Katusha is most effective when fired in large volleys at a single target. Hezbollah lacks the mobile rocket launchers necessary to accomplish this. Its good as a terrorist's weapon like from Gaza but really useless for Hezbollah in the time of war.
Isn't Mitchell supposed to report to Obama on the status of Israeli/Palestinian "peace negotiations" sometime this week?
You write your posts in a very authoritative manner, giving the impression that you often have access to certain information that the rest of us lack. Unless you have had extensive experience in the U.S. intelligence community or the military (which maybe you've had), I'm not sure on what basis you draw your conclusions regarding the Arrow missile.
"What NONE of them can stop is a Hisbollah Katyushka, which is the real rocket threat to Israel." zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... Not enough payload to be that much of a threat. Besides, Israeli ground forces have no problem pushing Hezbollah back beyond the Litani. Try again, Lincoln.
Yah, but the Israelies can stop the the Katuyshka if they are given a free hand and need not worry about the Lebanese loss of life. This time around, given that Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese government, that is the way it will be. Then Goldstone can do another report and ignore once again that Israel is conducting a self defence operation and that Hezbollah uses human shields.
...its about who controls the mideast(oil/gas) the US couldn't even control Iraq and will certainly loose pakistan n afghanistan, iran will eventually come through as the dorminant state in the region (remember the bloody nose Hizbollah gave israel courtesy of the Mullahs in iran) Once the sanctions are off, soon, iran will become the biggest economy with the chinese and russians as its close allies, moreover iran will be the defactor leader of the islamic world, not saudi arabia, seen by most muslims as deeply corrupt and compromised; the turks understand this and are rightly trying to change company, losing isreal as a freind for major muslim country like turkey, believe me 'son' is a blessing, even the US are stealthly reassessing their relationship with isreal, certain the EU are more apparent...the best thing isreal can do is to follow suit and reassess itself!
As Nitche wrote, "that which does not kill me, makes me stonger." Katushas are not an existential threat to Israel.
to participate, so they can see what they are missing out.
THAAD might be able to stop an Iranian MRBM, Patriot probably cannot, Arrow, what a joke. The US Navy's Standard 3 can stop an MRBM. What NONE of them can stop is a Hisbollah Katyushka, which is the real rocket threat to Israel.