Israeli, U.S. hold joint military exercise

The air forces of Israel and the United States have concluded a joint exercise over southern Israel, the Israeli army said on Monday.

Israeli and U.S. F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets practiced "mitigating various strategic aerial and ground threats," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

The exercise took place while Israel was struggling to halt the rapid spread of the coronavirus. The spokesperson said that precautionary steps were taken to ensure the safety of the soldiers. The teams engaged only in the air, and briefed and debriefed all parties via remote video conference, said the spokesperson.

The exercise was planned in advance as part of the military's 2020 training program and the army decided to carry it out despite the COVID-19 crisis.

According to the military, the exercise "illustrates the close ties between both air forces and militaries, expands the shared knowledge and learning of the F-35's advanced capabilities and improves the operational capabilities of the IAF (Israel Air Force)."

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)