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Philippines, US Repel Mock Foreign Invaders in Annual Military Exercises

US soldiers fire 155mm and 105mm Howitzers during a live fire exercise in the annual joint military exercises between US and Philippine troops called "Balikatan" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
US soldiers fire 155mm and 105mm Howitzers during a live fire exercise in the annual joint military exercises between US and Philippine troops called "Balikatan" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
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Philippines, US Repel Mock Foreign Invaders in Annual Military Exercises

US soldiers fire 155mm and 105mm Howitzers during a live fire exercise in the annual joint military exercises between US and Philippine troops called "Balikatan" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
US soldiers fire 155mm and 105mm Howitzers during a live fire exercise in the annual joint military exercises between US and Philippine troops called "Balikatan" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

US and Philippine armed forces fired missiles and artillery to thwart a simulated invasion in the Philippines' northern waters facing Taiwan on Monday, in a show of military force and strengthening ties as regional tensions rise.
About 200 soldiers took turns defending the shores of the coastal city of Laoag in Ilocos province, launching Javelin missiles and firing howitzers and machine guns to repel an unnamed enemy trying to storm the beach, said Reuters.
US and Filipino military personnel sank five floating pontoons standing in for amphibious landing ships as part of their annual exercises called Balikatan, or "shoulder-to-shoulder".
The annual drills, which involve about 16,000 Filipino and American troops and began last month, will run until May 10. They come at a time of escalating tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.
Last week, the Philippines accused China of using water cannons against their vessels around the disputed Scarborough Shoal, which damaged naval vessels and injured people onboard.
On Monday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said his country would not retaliate in kind, saying the Philippines did not want to raise tensions.
The exercises have irked China, which has warned of destabilization when countries outside the region "flex muscles and stoke confrontation".
Several of the drills this year were set in islands and provinces facing Taiwan and the South China Sea. Laoag City is about 408 km (254 miles) from Taiwan's southernmost point.
'NOT FOR MESSAGING'
US Marines Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm, commander of joint task force Balikatan, told reporters on Monday the exercises were meant to improve how the forces operate alongside each other and were not directed against a specific adversary.
"We don't do this for any third party. We don't do this for messaging. We do this to create interoperability," Cederholm said, without mentioning China.
The main exercises will culminate with a "maritime strike" on Wednesday, in which the combined forces of the Philippines and the United States will sink a decommissioned Philippine navy ship. The annual drills will officially end on Friday.
Other exercises have included simulations of retaking occupied islands and a multilateral sail with France and Australia in the South China Sea, inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Security engagements between Manila and Washington have increased under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has allowed Americans to access more Philippine bases under an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, including facilities close to Taiwan and facing the South China Sea.
The United States and Philippines also began joint patrols in the South China Sea last year.
US officials, including President Joe Biden, have affirmed its "ironclad" commitment to defend the Philippines against any armed attack under their 1951 mutual defense treaty.

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Shamakhani Recounts How He Survived Assassination Attempt: I Was Trapped 3 Hours Under Rubble

Ali Shamkhani, a high-ranking adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, speaks on Iranian television Sunday 
Ali Shamkhani, a high-ranking adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, speaks on Iranian television Sunday 
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Shamakhani Recounts How He Survived Assassination Attempt: I Was Trapped 3 Hours Under Rubble

Ali Shamkhani, a high-ranking adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, speaks on Iranian television Sunday 
Ali Shamkhani, a high-ranking adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, speaks on Iranian television Sunday 

Ali Shamkhani, a high-ranking adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, recounted on Iranian television Sunday how he survived an Israeli strike that targeted his residence on the first day of the war between Iran and Israel, stating that he was trapped under the rubble for three hours before being rescued.

“I was mainly injured internally; my ribs were broken,” the official said on Iranian state television.

“At first, I thought it was an earthquake. I was trapped under the rubble for three hours,” he said during the interview, where he was seen using a special inhalation device to help rehabilitate his lungs — a lasting result of his injuries.

“I was lying in bed. My phone was on the floor, a bit away from me. My family was asleep in the next room. I was dozing off, about to wake up for morning prayer, when suddenly the entire room collapsed on top of me,” he said.

Shamkhani also recalled the moments he survived under the rubble. “My room had collapsed two or three stories downward. I began clearing the rubble from my legs,” he said.

The Iranian general said his wife and son were also injured during the attack, adding that he was unable to speak clearly at the time due to oxygen pressure.

Shamkhani declined to say why he was targeted but said, “Israel knows why it attacked me—and so do I. But I can’t say.”

Shamkhani previously served as Iran’s navy commander, defense minister and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

He said there is no house or office left for him to stay or work and that the interview was conducted at a café.

The interview came hours after Shamkhani made his first public appearance Saturday at the funerals of Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders killed in the war with Israel.

At the funeral, Shamakhani was shown in a civilian suit leaning on a cane and surrounded by his bodyguards and members of his family, according to an image distributed on state television's Telegram channel.

Initial reports following the Israeli attacks on Iran claimed Shamkhani had been killed, while others said he was seriously wounded. Last week, the Iranian general confirmed he had survived.

“I’ve almost died three times—once before the Revolution, once during the Iran-Iraq War, and now this time,” Shamkhani said.

The Iranian official said, “All our commanders—our minds and muscle—had been targeted, yet within 12 hours, they were replaced, and the operation began. It wasn’t improvised. It was pre-planned.”

Shamkhani then emphasized the need for constant vigilance and readiness to counter enemy threats, while urging further advancement of the nation’s military capabilities.

He stressed that Iran’s leadership has been fully prepared for any scenario, noting that all operations were carried out according to pre-established plans.

This preparedness reflected the country’s robust military and security posture against any form of escalation or infiltration, he said.

Last week, Shamkhani, said in a post on X that “even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn't over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain.”

He added, “With legitimate defense right, political and operational initiative is now with the side that plays smart, avoids blind strikes. Surprises will continue!”