WASHINGTON: The Israeli cortege verified on Thursday that it has shared in a US-led exercise with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and some other countries that don’t have political ties with the Jewish state.
The US Navy said in a statement that further than people from 60 colors took part in the International Maritime Exercise (IMX), which demurred off on Jan 31.
The actors included Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen who don’t have political ties with Israel.
Several countries with which Israel lately normalized relations — similar as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — also shared. Bahrain is a close US supporter and hosts the 5th Fleet of the US Navy.
Sharing countries include several that don’t have political ties with Israel
The biennial drill was launched in 2012 and has come “ the largest transnational nonmilitary exercise in the Middle East,” the US Navy said.
The Israeli media reported that this was Israel’s first participation in a military exercise with countries that don’t have political ties with the state.
Israeli Navy chief David Salama said in a statement that their participation in the American exercise “ demonstrates the strengthening connection between our lines, grounded on power, collective literacy, and strategic cooperation”.
The Israeli Navy, he said, was “ working together with our American mates to help terror in the maritime arena and to strengthen the security of the region’s waters”.
The head of the US 5th Fleet, Admiral Brad Cooper, who over the once month has met with Mr. Salama, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, also hailed the growing ties between the two processions.
“ This common exercise demonstrates our determination to cover transnational law and order. This is a special occasion to expand our interoperability as we strengthen our nonmilitary ties,” Mr. Cooper said.
In November, the Israeli Navy shared in a 5th Fleet-led exercise in the Red Sea, alongside the UAE and Bahrain in what Israeli officers said was “ meant to serve as a response to recent attacks by Iran against Israeli nonmilitary means,” the Israeli media reported.
