“A small number of personnel from across US Central Command are observing portions of the exercise,” Lodewick added.
On May 17, Channel 13 reported that as part of the month-long “Chariots of Fire” drill, Israeli fighter jets would simulate a strike on Iran together with US mid-air refueling planes.
On May 18, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi led an honor guard at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv to receive the new commander of CENTCOM, Maj. Gen. Michael Kurilla, on his first official visit to Israel.
On May 19, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who is on an official state visit to Washington.
According to the Pentagon’s readout of the meeting, Austin “reiterated the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge.”
The two also discussed ways to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and addressed Iran’s destabilizing actions throughout the region.
