The US and Israeli naval forces on Sunday launched their annual joint wargames aimed at countering threats in the Middle East, the Israeli military said, two days after Iran’s naval forces held similar drills in the Persian Gulf.
The week-long drills, codenamed the Intrinsic Defender, are held between the Israeli Navy and the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, according to an Israel Defense Force (IDF) statement.
“The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen strategic and operational cooperation between the two navies and practice dealing with various regional threats,” the IDF added.
The wargames, which were also held in 2022 and 2023, came shortly after two-day naval drills by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and Strait of Hormuz which started on Thursday.
Tehran said the exercise was a “display of active presence and a warning to foreign fleets, especially the American warships in the region."
On the first day of the drills, IRGC naval units issued a warning to foreign vessels to deliver their firm message against any potential violation, according to state media.
Iran also tested a new unnamed missile with a range exceeding the length of the Persian Gulf, the commander of the IRGC Navy said without specifying the exact distance.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed regional issues including Iran, CNN reported, as Israeli defense officials warned that a renewed conflict was possible.
Israeli media cited Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram as saying that the country is developing more new technologies to prepare for the next potential war against Iran.
"Enemies are learning and adapting. We are at a pivotal point before a new paradigm takes place," the Jerusalem Post quoted Baram as saying at the International DefenseTech Summit in Tel Aviv on Monday.
“Iran’s rapid force buildup in air defense and ballistic missile capabilities,” driven by “its extremist ideology” means that “all fronts are still open” and the Israeli military must be ready for another conflict, Baram said according to the Jerusalem Post.