Negotiations for a new nuclear agreement have also stalled. The Biden administration has introduced sanctions on Tehran following a brutal crackdown on protests in the country which have seen protesters executed. The exercise comes as tensions between the US and Iran remain high. In December, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel’s government will be gauged on its “policies and procedures, rather than individual personalities.” “The security commitment that we have to Israel is irrespective of the particular personalities and particular government,” the US official said. The US official acknowledged the possibility for disagreements with the nascent government but stressed the non-negotiable bipartisan commitment to Israel. Netanyahu dismisses key ally Aryeh Deri after High Court order (Photo by RONEN ZVULUN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RONEN ZVULUN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Ronen Zvulun/AFP/Getty Images Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) sits next to Interior and Health Minister Aryeh Deri during a weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, on January 8, 2023. The exercise comes despite concern over the makeup of Israel’s new government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has appointed ministers once considered to be on the extreme nationalist fringes of Israeli politics including the far-right Otzma Yehudit party and the Noam party, which is opposed to LGBTQ rights. Nearly 6,500 US personnel will participate in the exercise, as well as more than 1,100 Israeli personnel, the official said. “We can’t really find another (exercise) that even kind of comes close,” said a senior US defense official. Bush carrier strike group will also take part in the exercise, which will cover all the domains of warfare to include space and electronic warfare. The live-fire exercise, named Juniper Oak, will include 100 US aircraft with fighters, bombers and refueling aircraft flying alongside 42 Israeli aircraft. The US and Israel launched their largest joint military exercise ever on Monday, sending a clear signal to Iran and underscoring the strength of their alliance despite concerns over the composition of the new Israeli government which includes ultra-nationalist and ultra-religious parties.

Mossad training exercises