Breaking News: Joint US-Israeli military drill suddenly cancelled

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

That massive joint exercise involving thousands of U.S. troops deploying to Israel - planned for months and announced only last month - has just been cancelled.

Set for May, "Austere Challenge 12" was supposed to be the largest drill ever held between the two countries • U.S. Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey to arrive in Israel later this week to receive assurances from Israel that it won't strike Iran.

A large joint U.S.-Israeli military drill, scheduled to take place in the coming months, has been cancelled due to budgetary constraints, Israel Radio reported on Sunday afternoon.

It was unclear from the Israel Radio report which side cancelled the drill. The radio report said that the drill would likely be held toward the end of the year.

Set to take place in May, the drill called "Austere Challenge 12" was supposed to be the largest ever held between the two countries, and was designed to improve defense systems and cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli military forces. Just on January 6th the IDF spokesperson, commenting on the future joint drill with the U.S., said thousands of U.S. and Israeli soldiers from different units would take part. He said the drill would test multiple Israeli and U.S. air defense systems against incoming missiles and rockets. Israel has deployed the "Arrow" system, jointly developed with, and funded by the U.S., designed to intercept Iranian missiles in the stratosphere, far from Israeli airspace.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta previewed the exercise in a speech last month, saying it would be an example of unprecedented levels of defense cooperation that the Obama administration has achieved "to back up our unshakable commitment to Israel's security." Panetta said the drills will enhance the ability of the two military forces to operate together and test new ballistic missile and rocket defenses.

...

Several senior U.S. officials, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Panetta, have sent Jerusalem a series of private warnings about the severe consequences of a strike against Iran, the Wall Street Journal said on Saturday.

Panetta and other officials have sought promises from Israel in recent weeks that it won't take military steps against Iran, but Israeli leaders have given ambiguous responses, U.S. officials said, according to The Wall Street Journal.

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=2672

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Channel 2/Ha'aretz:

'Israel and U.S. postpone massive defense drill in fear of escalation with Iran'

Israeli defense officials tell Channel 2 that Washington wants to avoid causing further tensions in region after various foreign reports of U.S. and Israeli preparations for strike on Iran.

According to an Israeli defense official, Washington wants to avoid causing further tensions in the region, especially in light of the sensitive situation that has been generated after various reports in the international media that the U.S. and Israel are preparing to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.

The drill, codenamed Austere Challenge 12, was supposed to simulate the missiles fired by Iran or other antagonistic states toward Israel. Defense officials told Channel 2 on Sunday that the drill is now scheduled to take place in the summer.

Both Israeli and U.S. officials said the exercise would be the largest-ever joint drill by the two countries, involving thousands of U.S. soldiers.

News of it came amid heightened tensions between U.S. allies and Iran, after Tehran threatened it could close the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil supply route.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-and-u-s-postpone-massive-defense-drill-in-fear-of-escalation-with-iran-1.407466

Edited January 15, 2012 by wife_of_mahmoud

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Iran has naval supremacy over Strait of Hormuz: admiral

TEHRAN – The commander of the Iranian Navy says Iran has always had naval supremacy over the Strait of Hormuz and will not allow the arrogant powers and the Zionist regime to create tension in the region.

Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari also rejected Western governments’ claim that Iran’s military might is a threat to the peace and security of the region, saying Iran’s neighbors know that this claim is totally false.

The Iranian Navy is ready to hold joint war games with regional countries, he told IRNA in an interview published on Sunday.

The Navy staged the 10-day Velayat-90 war games near the Strait of Hormuz in late December. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Naval Force also plans to hold a similar drill in the Persian Gulf and the strait in the near future.

IRGC Deputy Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami announced on January 1 that the Strait of Hormuz is part of Iran’s “geographical defensive strategy.”

----Iran has upper hand in the strait

IRGC Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri also said on Sunday that the United States knows that it cannot confront Iran in some areas, including the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important chokepoints, which accounts for about 30% of the world’s seaborne oil shipments.

“Despite their propagandistic activities, the Americans know that they are not able to counter the Islamic Republic of Iran’s actions in some areas, including the closing of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

http://tehrantimes.com/politics/94549-iran-has-naval-supremacy-over-strait-of-hormuz-admiral

[Ban Hammer 13,338]

not unusual for exercises to be cancelled for budget problems.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Debka File's take on this is probably the most interesting of all (analysis from the right-wing Israeli military/intelligence community's point of view.)

US, Israel in open rift over Iran: Big joint military drill cancelled

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Iran has naval supremacy over Strait of Hormuz: admiral

Sounds like Baghdad Bob. Maybe his cousin.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Sounds like Baghdad Bob. Maybe his cousin.

My first impression exactly. Too many parallels here to be ignored.

[mawilson 2,133]

Rift

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

not unusual for exercises to be cancelled for budget problems.

Not when they are planned months in advance and invlove moving thousands of troops AND battle groups to the area. The time to cancel for budget reasons is before you spend all those billions.

This is cancelled because the military action against Iran has suddenly become more imminent that it was a few days ago.

Obama is going to get us in another one.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Obama is going to get us in another one.

Not the signal he is giving Netanyahu, at least publically. However, be prepared for either another USS Liberty incident, or a USS Maddox incident. At this point, with the US Navy already rescuing numerous Iranian sailors and crewmen, you have to wonder exactly what the US is trying to accompish.

Edited January 15, 2012 by ☼

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Not the signal he is giving Netanyahu, at least publically. However, be prepared for either another USS Liberty incident, or a USS Maddox incident. At this point, with the US Navy already rescuing numerous Iranian sailors and crewmen, you have to wonder exactly was the US is trying to accompish.

Sure are a lot of Iranian sailors that need "rescuing" all of a sudden. Good thing the US Navy is right there handy to do that.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I suspect that US ships rescue crews fairly frequently, including from Iran...its just getting press coverage because of the situation.

[Ban Hammer 13,338]

Not when they are planned months in advance and invlove moving thousands of troops AND battle groups to the area. The time to cancel for budget reasons is before you spend all those billions.

This is cancelled because the military action against Iran has suddenly become more imminent that it was a few days ago.

Obama is going to get us in another one.

military planning versus political brownie points....

i've seen quite a few exercises cancelled within a month before "kickoff"

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I suspect that US ships rescue crews fairly frequently, including from Iran...its just getting press coverage because of the situation.

Sure. We will see. You are probably right.

military planning versus political brownie points....

i've seen quite a few exercises cancelled within a month before "kickoff"

After moving thousands of troops and two carrier battle groups? We will see Charles. I hope I am wrong.

[AMP 54]

Not when they are planned months in advance and invlove moving thousands of troops AND battle groups to the area. The time to cancel for budget reasons is before you spend all those billions.

This is cancelled because the military action against Iran has suddenly become more imminent that it was a few days ago.

Obama is going to get us in another one.

I don't think it was obama that gut us in the other one, I would say it's bush.