Israel, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting participated in joint aerial military exercises with the US Air Force in Nevada on Monday.

While Pakistan and the UAE are both US allies, Israel does not have formal relations with either Muslim country. Nevertheless, clandestine contacts between Israel, Pakistan and the UAE as well as other Sunni Muslim countries have surfaced in recent years due to a shared concern over Iran.

During a Red Flag drill, described as a unique high quality exercise by Israeli officials, pilots are divided into teams to simulate dog fights and other advanced aerial combat simulations at the Nellis Air Force base.

The Israeli Air Force trains regularly in Israel and abroad to maintain operational readiness for different operational situations. The Red Flag exercise will continue until August 26.