US soldiers arrive in Israel for war game

Some 1,000 US troops are expected to arrive in the Occupied Territories to take part in the largest ever joint military drill with Israel, while 2,500 more American forces would participate remotely from the US and Europe.

The American soldiers have already begun arriving in the Occupied Territories to join the drill, named as Austere Challenge 2012 (AC12), which is expected to begin towards the end of October or early November. 

Lieutenant General Craig Franklin, a top American officer, said the drill “is the largest exercise in the history of the longstanding military relationship between the US and Israel,” and will last for about “three weeks.”

Similar number of Israeli forces would reportedly take part in the joint exercise. 

Franklin claimed that the military drill was not related to any developments in the Middle East. “While the scenario is driven by the overall situation in the Middle East, AC12 is not related to any specific current. AC12 is not related to national elections nor to any perceived tensions in the Middle East.event.” 

Israeli and American soldiers will train on Israel’s Iron Dome missile system. Israel will deploy its upgraded Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile batteries for the first time while the US will bring its Aegis Ballistic Missile System to Israel and install Patriot air systems as a security network. 

The drill would be the sixth in a series of large-scale joint exercises between the two allies, and is estimated to cost USD38 million, with the US' share at USD30 million.