Israeli Chief of Staff Zamir says tense period lies ahead
Israeli Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir said that the country is entering a tense and volatile period across all fronts. According to him, the Israeli army is preparing for the period of Jewish holidays and is maintaining readiness for a possible surprise attack.
Zamir said this during a situation assessment with senior military command as part of surprise drills, Anadolu Agency reports. He noted that the baseline posture for the entire Israeli army is readiness for an unexpected attack.
Drills on several fronts
According to Zamir, the maneuvers simulate a war on several fronts. The military is checking readiness at different command levels — from the General Staff to units deployed on the ground — and is also assessing operational orders and plans.
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Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that the surprise drills were launched on Zamir's order. Their purpose is to test the readiness of the General Staff, regional commands and emergency response forces to act in sudden, complex scenarios on several fronts. In particular, the drills are testing procedures for raising the alert level, mobilizing reservists, decision-making mechanisms and operational response at different command levels.
Drills in Eilat and the Arava Valley
The Israeli army also announced large-scale drills on Monday in Eilat on the Red Sea coast and in the Arava Valley near the border with Jordan. The military will train under scenarios involving a surprise attack and infiltration into Israeli territory by land, sea and air.
Zamir linked the preparations to the approaching Jewish holidays: Rosh Hashanah begins on September 11, Yom Kippur on September 20, and Sukkot on September 25. According to Anadolu Agency, more than 73,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
