Israel, Turkey and U.S. on naval maneuvers

TEL AVIV -- A source in the Israel Defense Forces told The Schadenfreude Post that Israel, Turkey and the U.S. Navy are currently involved in a naval drill in the Mediterranean. The precise location of the maneuvers is not available but several search and rescue helicopters are said to be involved in the drill.

TSP suspects that the exercise could be a cover story to prepare Turkish rescue pilots to extract downed Israeli pilots should IDF use its airspace to bomb Iran's nuclear program sites. Theoretically, Israel could reach Iranian targets by flying north to Turkey and around sensitive airspace (e.g., Jordan, Iraq, Syria).

To succeed, the fighter-bombers would need extensive refueling and logistical support. Turkey is a long-time ally of Israel. Additionally, a massive build-up of Western naval assets are closing in on the Persian Gulf, presumably to provide a deterrent against a retaliatory response from the Revolutionary Guards.