‘Preparing for the real thing’: US, IDF to simulate strike on Iran

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The American air force will join an Israeli drill in two weeks that will practice hitting Iran, Channel 13 reported Tuesday evening.

U.S. jets that will conduct air-to-air refueling of a number of Israeli war planes, simulating an airstrike on the Islamic Republic. CENTCOM commander General Eric Corella already landed Tuesday to lead the coordination effort between the air forces, the report said.

The joint drill can only be seen as a warning to the Islamic Republic at a time when the chances of the U.S. signing back onto the nuclear accord with Iran seem to be fading. Iran has time and again threatened to attack Israel and, according to Defense Minister Benny Gantz, it will soon have enough enriched uranium to construct a nuclear weapon.

Iran also threatens Israel more immediately by continuing to build up the missile forces of its terror proxies on Israel’s borders. It also has Islamic Republican Guard Corps units stationed in Syria, which Israel hits regularly in an effort to derail further Iranian entrenchment so close to home.

The training run will take place within an intense, month-long drill that began last week, dubbed “Chariots of Fire.”  Encompassing all Israeli forces simultaneously, it is simulating combat scenarios on air, sea, land and in cyberspace and is Israel’s largest military exercise ever.

Thousands of regular and reserve troops are taking part, with the aim, said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, of “upgrad[ing] our capabilities in preparing for the real thing.”