The US and Israeli air forces have began a week-long joint military exercise in southern parts of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Dozens of aircrafts are taking part in the exercises in the southern Negev desert, the Israeli Army Radio said on Sunday.

An Israeli military source told AFP that the exercises were "planned two years ago and are not linked to the situation in any country."

The Zionist regime is widely believed to be the sole undeclared nuclear power in the Middle East and Israeli officials have many times admitted that Israel had obtained nuclear weapons.

MMA/RE