The Israeli Navy confirmed to take part in US-led drills involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and other nations that do not have diplomatic connections with Israel on Thursday.
There were almost 9,000 participants from 60 countries taking part in the International Maritime Exercise (IMX), which began on January 31.
Among the countries represented were Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen. All these states do not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
Several nations, like the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, have recently normalised ties with Israel. As a US ally, Bahrain hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
According to the US Navy, the drill has grown to be “the greatest international naval exercise in the Middle East” compared to when it was first held two years ago.
A military drill involving nations without diplomatic relations was Israel’s first involvement in a military exercise, according to Israeli media.
This week’s joint exercise between the Israeli and American fleets “demonstrates our fleets’ increasing connectivity, based on power, mutual learning and strategic collaboration,” Israeli Navy head David Salama said in a statement.
Terrorism in the maritime arena and security in the region’s waterways are being prevented and strengthened by the Israeli Navy and its American allies, he added.
Also, Admiral Brad Cooper, who has met with Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during the last month, lauded increasing cooperation between the two countries’ naval forces.
“To show our commitment to world law and order, we conducted a joint exercise. The chance to extend our interoperability while strengthening our naval connections is a unique one”, according to Admiral Cooper.
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