Troops from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are participating in the ongoing Iron Defender 24 maritime exercise in the United Arab Emirates and its territorial and coastal waters.
During the two-week bilateral exercise, which concludes on Thursday, the U.S. military and the UAE naval defense force jointly performed visit, board, search and seizure operations; unmanned system integration; harbor defense; diving missions; and medical training, among other activities.
The event aims to strengthen cooperation, support long-term regional security, improve combat readiness and enhance maritime interoperability by exchanging military experiences.
The exercise is taking place amid increasing regional tensions brought on by the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Sources in the region told Reuters that the Gulf states fear Israel’s war with Iran-backed Hamas escalating and hindering efforts designed to achieve wider regional peace.