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U.S., Israel Begin Weeklong Ballistic Missile Defense Exercise

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The United States and Israel began a weeklong ballistic missile defense exercise yesterday, a Pentagon spokesman said today.

Juniper Cobra is held every two years between United States European Command and the Israeli military, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters. The exercise is intended to improve cohesion and interoperability between the two nations in the event of a ballistic missile attack against Israel.

"[The] exercise is our nation's premier exercise in the region and with Israel," he said. "This is the 8th in a series of biennial exercises between the two militaries dating back to 2001."

More than 1,700 U.S. service members, civilian employees and contractors are taking part, Davis noted.

Planning for the exercise began more than a year ago and is not related to any specific events or developments in the region, he said.

The training includes a "computer-simulated scenario about challenges Israel could face," Davis explained.

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