A NATO exercise will be held until July 10 with the participation of 32 countries, 5,000 troops, 12 ships, 40 aircraft, and 18 special operations and dive teams  

A huge naval exercise by NATO and allied forces kicked off yesterday in the Black Sea, with the U.S. and Ukraine officially leading the event. The exercise increases the tension between the U.S. and Russia, which had demanded the cancellation of the exercise and announced that it will closely monitor the exercise "and if necessary respond appropriately to the situation." The Israeli Navy is not participating in the exercise.    

The location of the exercise, the Black Sea, raises the level of Russian sensitivity, especially after an incident in the Black Sea last month involving the British destroyer HMS Defender. The Russians claimed that they fired warning shots towards the route of the destroyer off the coast of the city of Sevastopol. There were reports that the Russians fired a missile or bomb towards the destroyer, but London denied them.  

The exercise will be held until July 10 with the participation of 32 countries, 5,000 troops, 12 ships, 40 aircraft, and 18 special operations and dive teams. Captain Kyle Gantt from the U.S. Navy said the large number of participants in this year's Sea Breeze exercise reflects a shared commitment to ensuring free access to international waters.