Israeli army begins surprise drill in the West Bank
In Israel, the Israel Defense Forces have begun a surprise drill for service members of the Judea and Samaria Division in the West Bank. Its purpose is to assess the operational readiness of units ahead of the High Jewish Holidays, The Jerusalem Post reports.
All battalions of the division have been involved in the drill. According to the Israeli military, the exercise is expected to continue until the afternoon. The army warned local residents about increased movement of security personnel and stressed that this is part of planned maneuvers, not a response to a security incident.
Operation “Dawn 2.0”
The current drill follows other exercises held in different parts of the country this week. On Sunday, Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir launched Operation “Dawn 2.0.”
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According to the army, these were also surprise drills aimed at testing the military's readiness to respond to large-scale attacks amid heightened defenses ahead of the High Holidays. The operation was planned to rehearse unexpected scenarios and events simultaneously on several fronts. Commanders of all units were summoned for the exercise, forces were mobilized, and reserve capabilities were assessed.
Maneuvers near Eilat
On Monday, the IDF's 80th Division launched Operation “Kadmat Homa” near Eilat and in adjacent areas. According to the military, its goal is to strengthen the division's capabilities and readiness for a large-scale surprise attack modeled on the October 7 attack, taking into account lessons learned.
All division forces, including air, naval and other security forces, were expected to take part in the exercise. The military also reported more noticeable movement of security personnel, aircraft, naval vessels and vehicles in the Eilat area and along Israel's eastern border. Israel Police joined the drills under the name “Southern Wind.”
