Against the backdrop of the current war against the Ayatollah regime, US-Israel joint drills have highlighted the immense cooperation and mutual respect between the US’ Navy Seals and its Israeli counterpart Shayetet 13 – both specializing in pre-emptive operation beyond enemy lines – enhancing battle tactics of both units.
AMBASSADOR (RET.) YORAM ETTINGER -- The existing threat of Iranian mines in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, highlights the mutually-beneficial collaboration between the US and Israeli Navies. This collaboration has leveraged Israel’s uniquely intense naval battle experience in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea (Northern Indian Ocean) and the Persian Gulf.
This collaboration has highlighted the mutually-beneficial joint exercises and Israel’s capabilities in the areas of intelligence gathering, naval commando, joint exercises, mine detection and mine clearance operations.
For example, during the January 1991 First Gulf War, the US and Israel collaborated in naval mine-clearing, which consisted of specialized Israeli mine plows and intelligence, which enhanced the effectiveness of coalition naval operations against Iraqi mine threats in the Persian Gulf. Israel supplied other critical technologies, including night-vision goggles and a low-altitude warning system for helicopters. Israeli military intelligence, highly focused on Iraq, also provided detailed tactical information to the U.S. about Iraqi military activities.
