Egypt and the US on Thursday jointly launched the “Bright Star” military exercises at a major base in western Egypt.
The massive multinational event is being held with the participation of 44 nations from around the world, as well as several international organizations.
The large-scale drills were launched at the Mohamed Naguib Military Base and will continue through September 10 in a massive training effort.
According to military footage, fourteen nations are taking part with more than 8,000 troops, while 30 others are observers.
The military described the specialized training activities as “one of the largest joint exercises in the world” to take place this year.
Countries contributing forces include Egypt, the US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, India, Italy, Cyprus, Iraq, Greece, and Britain among others.
The many observer states at the event include Uganda, Hungary, Tunisia, Japan, Poland, Oman, Burundi, Malaysia, Argentina, Spain, and Kenya.
Bright Star, which includes naval, ground, air, and special forces training, was first launched in 1980 after a peace treaty.
The event comes as Israeli forces plan to occupy Gaza City in a broader strategy to reoccupy the entire Gaza Strip.
The Gaza Strip shares a crucial border with the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern Egypt, which is also a part of this region.
Israel has tragically killed at least 63,000 Palestinians in the enclave since October 2023, leaving the enclave devastated and facing famine.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister and former Defense Minister for alleged war crimes in the enclave.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its continued war on the Palestinian enclave.
