US Marines and Israeli special forces units practiced urban warfare, helicopter insertions, and medevac operations in a mock Middle East village, complete with Arabic graffiti and its own mosque.

The drills, dubbed "Juniper Cobra," are intended to strengthen the already strong ties between Israel and the US, and for troops from both countries to share lessons learned in war zones like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Gaza.

"They teach them what to see when they were either in the Gaza Strip or somewhere else on the battlefield, for us in Afghanistan and Iraq, and teach that young soldier what to look for," Lieutenant-Colonel Marcus Mainz of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit told Reuters.

"We are willing to work and train together, and if God wills it, if we ever need to be side by side, then we will," Mainz said.

Take a look at the photos here: