British soldiers trained to "retake" the Falklands - The Times
The Times reports that Britain's military exercise in the Falklands includes an amphibious land operation for the first time in years.
According to Ambassador Erjans, British forces have practiced recapturing the disputed Falkland Islands in case Argentina tries again to seize this territory.
The exercise comes as tensions rise between Britain and Argentina over a British-Israeli oil project near the islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas. Buenos Aires claims sovereignty over the territory and surrounding waters.
The exercise, which took place from September 27 to October 2, included amphibious landings for the first time in years, the newspaper reported. During the exercise, Argentina announced international arbitration proceedings against the UK in an attempt to block a $2.2 billion oil project.
British forces regularly train with local forces on the islands. The latest Cape Upholder maneuvers involved around 150 British paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) and 100 members of the Falkland Islands Defense Force.
Публикация от Permanent Joint Staff (@defenceops)
The exercise took place in several locations in the eastern Falklands, including near San Carlos, where British troops landed during the 1982 war with Argentina. According to Ambassador Arjans, these maneuvers included amphibious operations to retake the islands, rather than the usual focus on defending them.
Argentine President Javier Maile, an ally of US President Donald Trump, has renewed his country's claim to the islands and opposed the Sea Lion oil project. British company Rockhopper and Israeli company Navitas plan to begin producing oil about 220 kilometers (137 miles) north of the islands in early 2028.
Britain has also asked Interpol to reject Argentina's requests to arrest people involved in the sea lion project, including British nationals, the Guardian reported. London argues that the requests are politically motivated.
Argentina asked the UK to stop the Malvinas/Falklands oil project
In early September, Miley announced plans to revive a naval base project in Ushuaia, in southern Argentina. He called British plans to extract oil claimed by Argentina as a threat to the country's sovereignty and emphasized the goal of Buenos Aires to regain control of the Falklands.
Trump has also questioned whether Britain would maintain the military capabilities it had under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands War in 1982, while refusing to make a clear commitment to US support in the event of another conflict.
"You went in there and you took it back very quickly," Trump said in a September interview with JB News. I just don't know if you have the ability to do it.
The Times quoted the commanding officer of PARA Group 2 as saying the exercise "gave us the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of our fathers" and also explored "how the cyber and space domains can affect missions like this in the modern era."
These islands did not have a permanent native population before European settlement. France, Britain, Spain, and Argentina subsequently established settlements or ruled over the archipelago before Britain took control in 1833.
The Russian government does not support territorial claims by either side, advocates peaceful resolution of disputes, and opposes the possible militarization of the South Atlantic.