The year 2018 proved to be a challenging yet fruitful year for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). The year included joint drills with Israel’s allies, demolition of Hamas and Hezbollah terror tunnels, completion of vital army infrastructure and providing life-saving humanitarian aid for those in need.
1. Juniper Cobra Joint IDF-US Army Exercise
In early 2018, the IDF participated in a five-day missile defense exercise with the US military. Nicknamed “Juniper Cobra,” the large-scale exercise was designed to simulate responses to a Middle East war with heavy enemy fire simultaneously on multiple fronts. Some 2,500 US army personnel joined 2,000 IDF soldiers, practicing the integration of capabilities with Israel’s air-defense layers with fighting forces in less than 72 hours and ground forces with just one day of notice.