From the US Navy command we learn in these hours that the forces of the United States Navy, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard have joined the naval defense force of the United Arab Emirates for the "Iron Defender 24" exercise, underway from 14 to 24 October. The maneuvers are taking place in the United Arab Emirates and in its territorial and coastal waters of the Persian Gulf.

The combined bilateral exercise is designed to expand levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and improve interoperability. Scenarios include: approach, boarding, search and seizure, unmanned aerial system integration, port defense, diving, medical training, and at-sea training. This is one of several maneuvers US military forces participate in with partner Nations in the Middle East, with the goal of improving partnerships and interoperability.

The US Fifth Fleet's area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water and includes the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three critical choke points in the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and Bab al-Mandeb.