US Planes to Partake in Israeli Military Drill Simulating Strike on Iran

Commander of the Central Command of the US Army (CENTCOM), Gen. Michael Kurilla, left, met on May 18, 2022, with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and observed the IDF’s ongoing major “Chariots of Fire” exercise. Israeli army
Commander of the Central Command of the US Army (CENTCOM), Gen. Michael Kurilla, left, met on May 18, 2022, with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and observed the IDF’s ongoing major “Chariots of Fire” exercise. Israeli army
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US Planes to Partake in Israeli Military Drill Simulating Strike on Iran

Commander of the Central Command of the US Army (CENTCOM), Gen. Michael Kurilla, left, met on May 18, 2022, with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and observed the IDF’s ongoing major “Chariots of Fire” exercise. Israeli army
Commander of the Central Command of the US Army (CENTCOM), Gen. Michael Kurilla, left, met on May 18, 2022, with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and observed the IDF’s ongoing major “Chariots of Fire” exercise. Israeli army

The newly confirmed commander of US military forces in the Middle East, US Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, spent a whole day with Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi. He personally observed the “Chariots of Fire” exercise, which simulates a multi-front war against Iran.
In two weeks, Israeli Air Force fighter jets will simulate a strike on targets in Iran. It is expected for US mid-air refueling planes to participate.

Kurilla, who assumed his duties as the new CENTCOM chief only a month ago, found himself amid military exercises that reminded of the volatile conditions in the Middle East for which he is responsible, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Kurilla commands US forces that deal with 21 countries, extending from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Seychelles to Somalia, Sudan, and Egypt. The US included Israel in this group last year, after the Abraham Accords were signed.

Israeli sources pointed out that Kurilla showed great interest in the details of the Israeli exercises, given that they dealt with a multi-front war scenario of which Iranian proxies are a part, such as the Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

Israeli leaders told Kurilla that the “Chariots of Fire” exercises, which began last week and will continue for four weeks, simulate a broad attack on Iran and its arms, especially in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Tuesday that even though the US still prefers the diplomatic track in dealing with Iran, it is considering the possibility of resorting to a military option at some stage.

The US Air Force is set to conduct air-to-air refueling of Israeli fighter jets as they simulate a strike on Iranian territory, Channel 13 reported.

Publicizing the US-Israel collaboration is potentially intended to send a message to Tehran amid stalled talks in Vienna about returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The US participation “constitutes a message to the Iranians, at a time when negotiations over the nuclear agreement with Iran is stuck,” said Channel 13’s report. “The Israeli message is that if the Americans don’t attack, at least they should assist Israel.”



Air India Plane with 242 on Board Crashes at India's Ahmedabad Airport

Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
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Air India Plane with 242 on Board Crashes at India's Ahmedabad Airport

Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

An Air India plane headed to London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, the airline and police said, without specifying whether there were any fatalities.

The plane was headed to Gatwick airport in the UK, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a civilian area near the airport.

Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service.

"At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates," Air India said on X.

The crash occurred when the aircraft was taking off, television channels reported. One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge cloud of fire rising into the sky from beyond the houses, Reuters reported.

Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport.

They also showed visuals of people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances.

According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39 p.m. (0809 GMT) from runway 23. It gave a "Mayday" call, signaling an emergency, but thereafter no there was no response from the aircraft.

Flightradar24 also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off.

"The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB," it said.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.