As part of NATO operation ‘Sea Guardian’, Allied ships conducted a medical response exercise with Israel.
The exercise, dubbed ‘Crystal Sea’ is designed to develop regional medical support to ensure that any health issue among the crew on board military ships participating in Operation Sea Guardian can be addressed quickly, wherever the ships are sailing at the time.
According to the Allied Maritime Command Public Affairs Office:
“As part of the scenario, simulated accidents involving crew aboard both Greek frigate Navarinon and Romanian frigate Regele Ferdinand called for a medical evacuation of their sailors to a nearby Israeli hospital. Israel facilitated the transportation with a helicopter, as well as sent a medical team to the third simulated incident on the Bulgarian frigate Verni.
Partnerships are essential to NATO’s success and contribute to improved security for the broader international community.
As part of Operation Sea Guardian and its cooperation with NATO Mediterranean partners, Commander of NATO’s Maritime Command, Vice Admiral Keith Blount made a visit to the NATO units during their visit to Israel’s port of Haifa on Monday.”
Israel is the first NATO partner to participate in an exercise with Operation Sea Guardian.
Good. ‘Iran is winning the strategic struggle for influence in the Middle East against its rival, Saudi Arabia, according to a study by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).’ (B.B.C. 7th November 2019) Lebanon is an outpost for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The Eastern Mediterranean is bound to heat up as Iran seeks to outflank its Gulf neighbours, threaten Israel and the west.