The joint military exercise known as the Juniper Cobra 2018, is set to kick off in Israel in the next few days. The USS Iwo Jima, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship named for the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II arrived in Haifa on Tuesday afternoon. The ship, which was commissioned in 2001, carries a maximum of 30 helicopters and a detachment of embarked Marines for use in what the Navy terms “vertical envelopment”, which is a specialized style of amphibious operations.

The ship carries some 1,400 marines and three hovercraft and it is a long way from its homeport of Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. Currently, the amphibious warship is serving with the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet.

The joint exercise is used by both militaries to improve individual and joint defense capabilities in the hopes of preventing an integrated ballistic attack. Some 650 U.S. Marines are expected to take part in the exercises that will enable the IDF and the U.S. navies to enhance cooperation.

A report on the Arutz Sheva website quoted Marine Captain Farrell J. Sullivan as saying, “The exercise is an extraordinary opportunity for both armies to work together and demonstrate their mutual commitment.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)