Marines storm ashore in Nitzanim

By ARIEH O’SULLIVAN

Hundreds of US Marines riding hovercrafts stormed
ashore the beaches of Nitzanim Wednesday as part of
joint maneuvers being quietly held between the US
and Israeli militaries.

The Marines simulated an armed assault from the sea
while IDF forces maneuvered inland until the two
forces met.

Military sources said the operation was code named
"Kaya Green." Troops were delivered by LCVs
(hovercrafts) which also unloaded Humvees.

The Marines of the Sixth Fleet specialize in
extraction operations to evacuate US personnel and
conduct such exercises periodically in Israel.

"These are highly specialized operations that
require constant training," said a source familiar
with the maneuvers.

The IDF refused to release more details in keeping
with a policy dictated by the United States to
minimize reports of Israeli-US military cooperation.

The IDF Spokesman issued a laconic statement saying
only that the exercise was with the US Sixth Fleet
and "part of the on-going cooperation between the
two armies."

But military sources said the joint exercise was
being spearheaded on the IDF side by the Ground
Forces Services. Soldiers participating on the
Israeli side included troops from the IDF’s
non-commissioned officers’ course.

The exercise also apparently involved a large convoy
of US military vehicles moving along the coast.

The Jerusalem Post