Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday that Israel is “changing the face of the western border, building strength and developing strong defensive capabilities.”
The remark was made during a visit to the IDF 80th Division near the city of Eilat.
Although Zamir did not mention Egypt by name, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that the visit related to “operational challenges in the arena, the defensive posture, and the IDF’s response to the drone threat.”
The latter refers to persistent drone smuggling across the Egyptian border.
“We will not allow threats to develop along our borders,” the IDF chief was quoted as saying. “We must be prepared on every border and in every arena for a sudden terrorist threat that may confront us, and alongside that continue to develop the defense in the region, reinforce where needed, and ensure the troops’ readiness at all times.”
He went on to emphasize that the 80th Division’s approach is “to thwart every threat at its inception. No containment—initiative.”
Zamir noted that the IDF was monitoring all threats and that it was addressing the “evolving threat” of drones. “[We are] improving the operational response, and will continue to enhance it in the near term and in the multi-year plan,” he added.
The establishment of the 96th Division, responsible for defending the eastern border, and the establishment of additional border defense battalions were “significant steps in shaping the IDF’s defensive capabilities for the coming years,” he said.
“As part of the lessons from Oct. 7, [2023,] we are continuing to change the defensive posture along the borders, reinforcing it and focusing on strengthening the area’s defense and the Rapid Response Teams. We are concentrating effort in this arena as well, in order to provide a better and faster defensive response,” he added.
During his field tour, Zamir also met with the heads of the local councils in the area, thanking them for their cooperation and for their contribution to the security of the area, according to the IDF statement.
