US withdraws fighter jets from major NATO exercise in Norway

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The US is withdrawing large parts of its planned air forces, including F-35 fighter jets, from the biennial Cold Response exercise in Norway, the Nordic country said Friday.

The Norwegian Armed Forces confirmed to local daily Fremover that they have been informed that some US forces will not be taking part in the major NATO exercise

"We have been informed today that the US forces will not be coming. They will be elsewhere in the world," said Lt. Col. Espen Solemdal.

The move comes amid the US’ continued military buildup in the Middle East meant to pressure Iran.

Solemdal said that this affects the air defense battalion's exercise arena as they lost eight exercise targets, stressing the seriousness of the situation that led to the redeployment of US forces.

The exercise will continue as planned with the remaining forces, he added.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said that the USS Gerald R. Ford, described as the world’s largest aircraft carrier, would soon head to the region if talks between Washington and Tehran fail.

"In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it," he said. "It’ll be leaving very soon."

The USS Abraham Lincoln and a fleet of destroyers are already stationed in the Persian Gulf, having been dispatched last month amid rising tensions between the two countries.