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As Mideast Tensions Rise, U.S. and Israel Practice Fighting Side-by-Side

(Newsweek) Tom O'Connor - From Feb. 19 through March 1, U.S. Marines trained alongside the Israel Defense Forces in simulated urban combat, in an exercise known as Intrepid Maven. IDF Lt.-Col. Gilad Pasternak, commander of the Israeli Training Battalion, said, "We were able to advance, to charge shoulder-by-shoulder with our allies, the Americans." He noted that the IDF "had the opportunity to train the Marines on the infrastructure of the IDF, including live-fire instructions on Israeli weapons," and that both sides were "able to learn operational lessons, also on the tactical level." The exercise addressed facing hidden explosives along with rocket and mortar fire, as well as efforts to detect the sources of such enemy operations. U.S. military personnel in both Iraq and Syria have faced rocket attacks attributed to militias aligned with Iran. U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Sean Styerwalt said, "It was great with us being able to work hand-in-hand with the IDF because the IDF has different tactics, techniques, and procedures....We were able to learn...from them and also, at the same time, be able to teach them some of our" methods. One final exercise involved a combined IDF-U.S. "red cell" unit playing the role of enemy combatants.
2023-03-06 00:00:00
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