Israeli special forces hold counterterror drills in Cyprus

Israeli special forces conducted counterterrorism training exercises in Cyprus this week, simulating warfare in urban and mountainous regions of the island nation, the army says.

This was the third such joint exercise by Israeli troops in Cyprus in the past two years.

The Israeli military says the drill was meant to simulate warfare against “different terror groups.” In the past, the army has acknowledged that the mountains and forests of Cyprus are similar to some of the terrain of southern Lebanon, the home of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group.

The elite Maglan reconnaissance unit led the exercise in Cyrpus. Israeli Air Force helicopters and planes also took part in the drill, the army says.

Troops from the Cypriot army also took part in some aspects of the exercises.

“Maglan forces along with units from the Cypriot military… simulated a variety of scenarios and capabilities in the areas of counterterrorism, urban combat, field combat, breaching, demolitions and in battlefield medicine,” the military says in a statement.

— Judah Ari Gross

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