US destroyer conducts ‘routine maritime exercise’ with Israeli Navy in Red Sea

After departing Israel’s port city of Eilat, American missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black conducted a “routine maritime exercise” with the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 5-class corvette INS Eilat in the Red Sea, the US Navy says.

“The combined training demonstrated the strong military partnership between [the] US 5th Fleet and the Israeli Navy,” says the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) — the naval component in the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

The Israel Defense Forces, in its own statement, says the drill “was held as part of the ongoing cooperation between the Israeli Navy and the US 5th Fleet in the Red Sea arena.”

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black anchored at Eilat Port on Friday for a “scheduled port visit,” before departing yesterday, according to NAVCENT.

“The arrival of the destroyer at this port highlights the close cooperation between the two navies and the respective militaries,” the IDF says.

The destroyer’s arrival in Eilat came amid regional tensions following US President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iran over its bloody crackdown on anti-regime protesters, and Iran’s threats to strike Israel and US targets in response.

But according to the Israeli military, the destroyer’s arrival was a “pre-planned, routine visit and within the framework of the strategic cooperation” between the IDF and the US military.