16-05-2025
African Lion 2025: Two Israeli Paratroopers Reportedly Injured in Morocco
Doha – Two Israeli soldiers were injured in a car crash in Morocco on Thursday while participating in the 21st edition of the African Lion 2025 multinational military exercise.
According to the Israeli military, the soldiers belong to the parachutists and air transport unit of the Marom Brigade (acronym in Hebrew for Merkaz Rouhni Moukhaf, meaning 'Center for Spiritual Radiation'). Their condition was assessed as 'moderate' by medical teams at the scene.
The injured soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for appropriate treatment. Their families have been informed of the incident.
The Israeli military statement provided no additional details about the accident location or specific circumstances.
This marks Israel's third consecutive year participating in the exercise. The IOF delegation flew to Morocco despite the ongoing Gaza genocide.
Kan News Digital, the news website of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, first reported the Israeli participation on Tuesday. Unusually, footage published in Morocco showed the arrival of delegations with the Israeli flag visibly displayed.
Last year, an Israeli delegation also attended the exercise in Morocco during the height of Israel's aggression on Gaza. However, the IOF prevented publication of this news, claiming it could harm security relations between the countries.
African Lion 2025, Africa's largest annual military training event, brings together over 10,000 troops from more than 40 countries. The exercise officially began Monday at the Southern Zone headquarters in Agadir.
Morocco hosts the largest concentration of activities for this year's exercise. Training spans multiple regions including Agadir, Tan-Tan, Tiznit, Kenitra, Benguerir, and Tifnit.
The exercise features comprehensive training across land, air, maritime, space, and cyber domains. Activities include field training, planning exercises, CBRN decontamination, live-fire drills, and humanitarian exchanges.
Participating countries include France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, Senegal, and Israel, among others. The Moroccan portion runs through May 23.
Israel's participation in this military exercise on Moroccan soil symbolizes the warming bilateral relations. This follows Israel's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara in July 2023 and the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2020.
Read also: Five Israelis Die in Fatal Car Crash Near Ouarzazate
