For the first time, the Israel Defense Forces participated in a major American-led military drill held in Morocco and nearby African nations, which wrapped up on Thursday, as observers. The US Africa Command said its joint annual drill with Morocco — dubbed “African Lion” — involved some 7,500 servicemembers and ran between June 6 through 30 in Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. The Israeli military sent at least two officers to observe the drills, according to the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. “Opportunities for military collaborations were discussed, both training and in the operational and intelligence areas,” the IDF said at the time. Several high-level Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Benny Gantz have also visited Morocco and signed cooperation agreements.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 02, 2022 15:02 UTC