MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Jan. 24, 2023) The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) is underway with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) in the Mediterranean Sea, Jan. 24, 2023. Juniper Oak 23-2 is a bilateral military exercise, led by U.S. Central Command and the Israeli Defense Force, designed to enhance interoperability between the U.S. and Israel militaries. Juniper Oak 23-2 joins the long-standing Juniper series that the U.S. and Israel have conducted for more than 20-years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christine Montgomery)