The Israeli Navy this week conducted a branch-wide exercise, its largest since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attacks, staging drills in the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
The exercise, led by the Missile Boats Flotilla, involved the Submarines Flotilla, the 914 and 916 Routine Security Squadrons and the Operational Headquarters. Hundreds of personnel and a range of naval vessels participated.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the exercise formed part of the navy’s effort to incorporate operational lessons learned during nearly three years of fighting against Iran and its terrorist proxies.
The drills included simulations of maritime infiltrations, multi-arena combat, aerial threats, coordinated fire missions and the defense of strategic assets, including offshore natural gas platforms, Israeli ports and other critical national infrastructure.
Additional exercises in the Red Sea focused on improving command, coordination and cooperation between naval units.
The drills come as the Israeli Navy continues to expand its operational capabilities amid growing regional threats. Navy commander Vice Adm. Eyal Harel is seeking to increase the missile boat fleet from 15 to as many as 21 vessels, procure new multirole Reshef-class warships and deepen maritime cooperation with Greece and African partners, including Ethiopia and Somaliland.
The exercise also took place against a backdrop of growing tensions between Israel and Turkey. Israeli officials have expressed concern over reported U.S. plans to readmit Turkey to the F-35 fighter jet program, arguing that the move could alter the regional balance of power.
Last week, Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government of becoming “the command center for Hamas’s rapists and murderers,” while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently described Israel as “a burden that humanity can no longer bear,” speaking in an interview with CNN Türk.
