UAE, Israel, Bahrain, US hold multilateral maritime security ops exercise in Red Sea

The United States, Bahrain, Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have begun a joint naval training in the Red Sea, the US Navy’s Fifth fleet announced. This marks the first time that the four states have publically acknowledged collaborating in maritime operations, especially as tensions over a nuclear deal with Iran continue to jeopardise stability in the middle east. The exercise is set to continue for five days before

"It is exciting to see U.S. forces training with regional partners to enhance our collective maritime security capabilities," said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of NAVCENT, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. "Maritime collaboration helps safeguard freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade, which are essential to regional security and stability."

As per a media release, the drills that began on 10 November will feature America’s at-sea training aboard the amphibious dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27). The military exercise focuses on visit, board, search and seizure tactics. It is expected to bolster “interoperability” between the participant states. Interestingly, it is the first time, after last year's Abraham Accords that Israel and UAE Aad Bahrain have collaborated.

Last month, Israel's newly retired navy commander Vice Adm. Eli Sharvit had stated that the zionist navy has stepped up its activities in the Red Sea “exponentially” in the face of growing Iranian threats to Israeli shipping, according to a report by the Associated Press. “The state of Israel will protect its freedom of navigation across the globe,” Sharvit told AP, days after completing his five-year term. “That’s not related to distance from the country.”

US targets Black Sea 

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has also increased its military presence in the Black sea, alongside the Red Sea. Earlier this month, US Navy deployed US guided-missile destroyer Porter, the US naval tanker John Lenthall, and the US command and control ship Mount Whitney in the Black Sea”, as per US Navy's fifth fleet. To put it into perspective, the Black sea is located between Asia and Europe and has Russia and Georgia to its west, Turkey to its south and Ukraine to its north. The Red Sea, on the other hand, lies between Africa and Asia and has Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Egypt in its vicinity.

(Image: US Navy/ Navcent)