The Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday morning the start of a two-day military exercise simulating “a range of scenarios” in the country’s north.
The exercise, dubbed “Shield of Strength,” opened with a surprise test of the IDF’s 210th “Bashan” Division’s preparedness, the army said.
The IDF warned that as part of the exercise, explosions could be heard, along with an increased presence of soldiers and military aircraft in the area.
The IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir oversaw the exercise assessing the troops’ preparedness for a rapidly developing scenario. He later met with reserve forces, stressing the importance of constant training and maintaining full readiness at all times.
The IDF is restoring readiness and strengthening its operational foundations to protect Israeli civilians better and prepare more effectively for future conflicts, Zamir said.
“We are drawing the lessons from the inquiries of Oct. 7 and implementing them in the field in order to rebuild the foundations on which the IDF will stand—stronger and more prepared—for the next campaign,” Zamir said.
The military emphasized that the drill had been scheduled in advance by the IDF Operations Directorate.
On Sunday, the IDF eliminated Hezbollah “chief of staff” Haytham Ali Tabatabai through a precision airstrike in Beirut.
Hezbollah said in a statement on Sunday that Tabatabai had become “a martyr for Lebanon following the ‘treacherous’ Israeli attack.” However, the terrorist group stopped short of threatening a retaliatory attack.
Although there is currently no change in the instructions for civilians on the Israeli home front, Jerusalem already has attack plans in place should Hezbollah choose to retaliate, according to Israel’s Channel 12 News.
A previous large-scale exercise held by the IDF in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley this month reportedly showed that the army was unprepared for cross-border attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles.
