Israel and US join up for cyber exercise

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched exercise Juniper Falcon, a joint drill, on 12 February that focused on air defence, cyber security, intelligence and logistics, the Israeli MoD has said.

The IDF said the drill was the second in a series of joint exercises to be held with CENTCOM in 2023.

The first was January’s major Juniper Oak drill, the largest-ever joint exercise held by the Israeli and US militaries.

Juniper Falcon is part of the ongoing strategic cooperation between the IDF and the US Army.

The IDF held similar exercises — using the same name — with US European Command (EUCOM) until 2020, when Israel was moved out of EUCOM’s area of responsibility and into the purview of CENTCOM.

'The exercise will focus on aerial defence, cyber and spectrum, intelligence and logistical scenarios, and will test joint US-Israeli readiness for potential security events,' the IDF said in a statement on 12 February.