Joint Israeli-American air exercise to respond to threats and attack desired targets

The Israeli military announced on Sunday, January 16, that the country's air force, alongside a team of pilots from a number of US Air Force squadrons, conducted a series of exercises to "simulate joint responses to air threats" and "attacks on targeted targets through training, cooperation, and mutual development."

These exercises were held in Israel last week under the name "Desert Falcon," but the country made it public at the end of the exercise.

The Israeli military said in a statement on Sunday, January 16, that the exercise is an "important milestone in strengthening international strategic cooperation with the US Air Force and contributes to the readiness of the Israeli forces."

The Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon called the exercise a "clear message to Iran" and wrote that the country was strengthening the international coalition "against growing threats, especially from Iran."

According to Israeli media reports, the country's air force conducted the exercise with F-16I fighter jets from Squadron 119, Gulfstream-500 spy planes, the Red Squadron group, and helicopters.

From the US Air Force Central Command, known as AFKNET, fighter jets from the 55th Fighter Squadron flew alongside Israeli aircraft over the south of the country.

The American and Israeli fighter jets participating in the exercise took off from the Ovda Air Base in the Negev Desert. According to Israeli media, the main focus of the exercise was not combat capability, but rather language coordination and enhancing a common understanding of data and maps.

These are the latest joint Israeli-American air exercises since Israel's transfer to the area of ​​responsibility of CENTCOM, the US military's Central Command.

In his final days as commander-in-chief of the US military, Donald Trump ordered Israel to be transferred from the European Command, known as AUCOM, to the military jurisdiction of CENTCOM. The Joe Biden administration implemented the transfer.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel's transfer to the CENTCOM area has not only simplified Israel's cooperation with American forces stationed in the Middle East, but also created the capacity to create a regional coalition with those Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel.

Three months ago, Bahrain and the UAE, which now have full political relations with Israel, also participated in an unprecedented exercise between Israel and the United States in the Red Sea.

Israeli media have assessed that their country's increased cooperation with CENTCOM, as well as with the Persian Gulf emirates, will help Israel confront what the country calls "threats emanating from Iran."

Israeli fighter jets have escorted American B-1B strategic bombers every time they have flown over Israeli skies toward the Persian Gulf over the past year and a half.

In many cases, it was said that the accompaniment of Israeli jets, as well as fighters from some Arab countries in the region, with American strategic aircraft was intended to "warn Iran."

The latest Israeli-American air exercise took place at a time when the Israeli military has spoken about its preparations ahead of a possible decision to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

Senior Israeli political and military officials have said that if Iran's nuclear program is not curbed through diplomatic means, they have both the readiness and the attack plans, which they are even capable of carrying out "without America."

The Israeli government reiterated last week that it will not be bound by any agreement that is reached in the ongoing negotiations between Iran, world powers, and the United States in Vienna and that does not meet Israel's views on curbing Iran's nuclear program.

Source: Radio Farda