The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday announced the conclusion of a major two-week drill on the northern border, which for the first time simulated concurrent wars on the Lebanese and Syrian fronts. The drill was designed to prepare troops for a long-term conflict, the IDF said, and came amid heightened tensions with Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, following the alleged Israeli assassination of notorious terrorist Samir Kuntar, a major figure in the organization.
GOC Northern Command Aviv Kochavi said in a statement that the exercise was designed to simulate a fight against Hezbollah and the Islamic Jihad terror group on the two fronts. “We simulated vast maneuvers, substantial
fire power, and the attack of thousands of targets in all combat areas, with high efficiency, including residential areas exploited by the enemy,” he said. The exercise was planned ahead of time and was not related to the current situation, the army said. FULL REPORT
