U.S., Israel hold Juniper Cobra ballistic missile-attack exercise

The Juniper Cobra ballistic missile defense exercise was held this week between the United States European Command and the Israeli military, the Pentagon said.

The meeting, held every two years, is a weeklong exercise that aims to boost preparedness between both nations in the event of a ballistic missile attack against Israel by any one of its many hostile neighbors or other nations.

The drill includes computer simulations of possible scenarios. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis talked about the history of the exercise at a recent Pentagon briefing.

"The exercise is our nation's premier exercise in the region and with Israel. This is the eighth in a series of biennial exercises between the two militaries dating back to 2001."

The drill includes over 1,700 U.S. military members, staff and contractors, and involves a year of planning.