Israel and US to Begin Joint Air Defence ExercisesIsrael and the United States will begin joint air defence exercises later today(Feb.19), just two-days after the United States and Britain launched air strikes on targets near the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.Israel announced the exercises today saying they will include the testing of the anti-missile Patriot missile defence system. The Israeli army says the exercise has been scheduled for more than a year although Israeli caretaker Prime Minister, Ehud Barak says his country is watching Iraq closely after the weekend's raids. Israel says while it has nothing to do with the air attacks, President Hussein is involving Israel because of its close ties with the US. But Israel's Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh says no special measures are warranted at this stage. |
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