Code-named Juniper Cobra, the two-week exercise is the largest drill ever between the two countries.

It is the fifth in a series of biennial exercises and will include about 1,000 American personnel and an equal number of personnel from Israel's military.

Israeli public radio said the U.S. personnel were set to mesh ground- and ship-based missile interceptors like the Aegis, THAAD and Patriot with Israel's Arrow II ballistic shield.

Both nations have denied any connection between the air defense drill and heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear program.

Still, Israel radio quoted an unnamed commander as saying that the exercise "served to prepare for a nuclear Iran."

Both the United States and Israel argue that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied saying it is only seeking nuclear power.

Possessing what experts believe is the only nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, Israel views a nuclear Iran as an existential threat and has suggested that it could resort to an attack to avert its arch-foe from attaining means that may imperil its existence.

The United States has been using diplomacy to try and sway Tehran to abandon its contentious nuclear program.

During the two-week exercise, U.S. forces will be deployed to a number of locations in Israel, within the vicinity of civilian areas. The joint exercise will simulate long-range missile attacks on Israel from Iran, Syria and Lebanon.

Experts suggest the war drill will test the two countries' missile defense systems, testing technology that could be used to shield Israel from a potential Iran attack.

In all, a total of 17 U.S. warships have been deployed, equipped with special radar systems capable of detecting surface-to-surface missiles for the exercise.

Israeli media reported that the drill will also include the use of X-band radar technology used to spot incoming missiles from miles away.

Deteriorating ties between Israel and Turkey forced Ankara earlier this month to call off a NATO exercise because of Israeli participation.

American diplomats have since then been prodding Turkey to mend relations with Israel, explaining that looming tensions between the once-regional allies was hurting United States interests in the Middle East.

Turkey has long served as Israel's closest ally in the Muslim world, acting also as a key partner in security, trade and tourism relations.

Those relations, however, have soured since the onslaught in Gaza last December.

Hezbollah and Hamas are considered Iranian proxies in Lebanon and the Gaza strip.

With the U.S.-Israel drill, said local media quoting Eytan Gilboa, a political scientist at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, the exercise "sends a message to Iran, to Hezbollah and to Hamas that the strategic relationship between the United States and Israel remains solid."

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