Tel Aviv (dpa) – Israel and Washington are preparing for a large joint exercise, simulating missiles landing in the US' Middle Eastern ally. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the drill on Monday, codenamed Austere Challenge 12, coming at a time of heightened tensions in the region. But the spokeswoman would not confirm reports that it would be the largest ever joint US-Israeli exercise, and that thousands of US soldiers had already arrived in Israel ahead of it. The exercise is expected to begin in the coming weeks, although the army gave no official date. It comes amid heightened tensions between US allies and Iran, after Tehran threatened it could close the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil supply route. But the Israeli military said the drill was “part of a routine training cycle” and had been planned before the latest tensions. The drill “is not in response to any real-world event,” the army wrote in a statement. It “represents another milestone in the strategic relationship between the US and Israel, as well as a step forward in promoting regional stability,” the statement added. In late 2009, Israel and the US also held a huge joint missile defence exercise, involving about 1,000 US troops, alongside an equal number of Israeli military personnel. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/p5OcT Tags: Israel, Missiles, United States Section: Latest News, North America, Palestine
