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Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. (December 28, 2024): Due to increasing attacks by Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea, the Djiboutian Coast Guard has intensified training for at-sea rescues. In this photo by Staff Sergeant Jana Somero, a U.S. Airman recovers personnel from the water by helicopter during operation Bull Shark, a biannual  joint training event involving the U.S., Djiboutian, Spanish and French navies. The exercise simulated multiple personnel recoveries at-sea that challenged the ability of participating nations to coordinate land, sea, and air components in an emergency.

To prepare for Bull Shark, the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron conducted weapons familiarization training for Djiboutian Coast Guardsmen in March. American Sailors also trained with the Djiboutian Navy and Coast Guard for three months on maritime navigation, boat operations, boarding, search and seizure, and rescue operations.