A major U.S.-led military exercise with 18,000 soldiers from 19 primarily NATO countries has kicked off in the alliance's eastern flank involving Poland and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. It stressed, however, that Saber Strike "is not a provocation of Russia." NATO has deployed some 6,000 troops in the Baltics and Poland. Lithuania's defense ministry also announced the start of the country's largest-ever national drill, "Thunder Storm," with some 9,000 troops. Non-NATO member Israel will be taking part in Saber Strike for the first time.

Source: Fox News June 03, 2018 11:59 UTC