FOR five days, China, Iran, and Russia will take part in an annual naval exercise known as the Maritime Security Belt 2024.
The joint drill will take place in about 17,000 kilometers of water and will involve ships, naval helicopters, combat boats, support vessels, and a guided missile destroyer from China, among others.
Participating fleets will declare a “temporary firing zone” in international waters to warn ships to keep their distance and give way for the live ammunition segment of the exercise.
The military drill will run from March 11 to 15.
Additionally, fleets representing Oman, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and South Africa will take part in the war games this year.
The improvement of trade, the support for humanitarian activities, as well as the confrontation of “piracy and terrorism, are among the main objectives of the five-day exercise.
The Gulf of Oman -a crucial waterway located near the Persian Gulf – has witnessed numerous attacks in recent years coupled with escalating tensions in the Red Sea since Hamas launched the surprise attack on Israel on October 7 of last year.
The Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea are both situated in the Indian Ocean where the five-day drill is currently taking place.
