The American and Israeli militaries on Monday commenced large-scale exercises — Juniper Oak 23.2 — in Israel and the eastern Mediterranean Sea to counter Iran.
The Exercises
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that the drills aim to improve the readiness and interoperability of the two forces, thereby “contributing to regional security.” CENTCOM commander Michael Kurilla said Juniper Oak is a “combined joint all-domain” exercise to improve interoperability on land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace.
Senior @CENTCOM officials will visit the sites of the exercise throughout the week.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 23, 2023
The exercise is an additional layer of defense that strengthens and trains the multi-branch and international methods of action among the militaries to counter a variety of regional threats. 2/2
The exercise will include 140 aircraft, including B52 strategic bombers and F35 fighter jets, 12 naval vessels, rocket systems, infantry and special forces, and space force assets. The militaries will simulate several missions, including suppressing enemy air defences and electronic attacks.
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“The lessons learned during these exercises are exportable to our partners across the region,” Kurilla said.
Countering Iran
A senior US defence official told NBC News on Monday that the primary aim of Juniper Oak is to show that the US is not distracted by the war in Ukraine. The official added that Washington still has “excess capability” in the military field, and that regional adversaries, such as Tehran, will take note of this.
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Furthermore, the official mentioned that it is “the most significant exercise” between the US and Israel to date, indicating both countries’ seriousness in confronting Iran. The official further expressed hope that Tehran would pay attention to the scale of the drills and “understand what [the US and Israel] are capable of doing.” “This is a sign that [the US continues] to have Israel’s back at a time where there’s a lot of turbulence and instability across the region.”
Conflict With Iran
Israel and the US have had long-standing tensions with Iran. Israel and Iran have been waging a covert war for over a decade, with the Israeli military regularly conducting airstrikes in Syria against Iranian proxy groups. Meanwhile, Tehran has been expanding its regional military footprint by funding and arming militant outfits opposed to Israel.
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Israel has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it views Tehran’s nuclear programme as an “existential threat.”
While Iranian proxies have attacked US military installations in Syria and Iraq, warning Washington to withdraw its troops, the US has retaliated by bombing pro-Iranian militias.