“Israel” Readies to Face Showers of Thousands of Missiles

Hilmi Moussa - Assafir newspaper*

"Israel" is expected to carry out, as of Sunday, the biggest maneuver to test the readiness of its internal front to confront a global war where thousands of missiles would flatten residential areas. This maneuver is pivotal as it occurs after growing threats traded between "Israel" and Syria, and amid the escalating tension on the front of the Syrian occupied Golan. This massive military exercise relies on a basic hypothesis: what matters is not whether "Israeli" cities will be bombarded or not; what matters is when this will happen.

The maneuver consists of preparing for confronting a multi-front global war, in light of the civil war in Syria, and "Israeli" threats of targeting any developed weaponry system if it ever reaches "terrorist organizations." All "Israel's" emergency committees and the army will participate in this maneuver, to take place within the frame of the national emergency week.

The maneuver focuses on a dangerous scenario having to deal with showers of thousands of missiles of different categories on cities, residential complexes, and strategic facilities throughout "Israel." It also considers confrontation on many fronts at a time, since missiles may source mainly from Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza Strip. The maneuver, that was scheduled since three weeks but was postponed due to tensions in Syria, will kick off next Sunday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares the national emergency week.

According to the plan, the public will be implicated in the maneuver between Monday and Wednesday; sirens will be sounded and calls to shield in secure chambers will be launched. On Monday noon, sirens will be sounded and exercise operations will kick off at educational institutions, work places, and local authorities. In the evening, sirens will go off again to test the readiness of families in their residences. The Internet web will be also used in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to learn from students whether they, along their families, are entering the secure chambers or not. For the first time, all alarm systems and devices in "Israel" will be tested all at once via sirens, cell phones, social networks, and TV and radio stations. The maneuver will be fully conducted especially in Tel Aviv, where even the government will be participating.

The plan envisages that unconventional missiles will hit schools and outposts in Upper Nazareth and Safad as well as a factory, a jail, and Hadassah medical center in Jerusalem. In addition, a huge fire will erupt in the woodlands of Mount Carmel.

Minister of Communications and Home Front Protection, Gilad Erdan, revealed that the question was not whether missiles would be launched on "Israel's" major residential cities or not, but rather when they would. Pertaining to the defense gaps, he said training on facing traditional dangers was preferable than training on unconventional ones. "In such a scenario, the Iron Dome is not set to secure retaliation similar to that during the Pillar of Defense operation," he noted.

For his part, Home Front Command Chief Major-General Eyal Eisenberg said the capacity to face huge amounts of missiles was required. "Available weapons to counter our enemy are for the long range, with big warheads weighing hundreds of kilograms. Undoubtedly, the "Israeli" home front would witness an unprecedented experience. It must be steadfast so that the command takes decisions," he said. "There would not be easy days. But "Israel" owns destructive capacities that are ten times those of our enemies. This is why I advise our neighbors who are igniting their motors to reconsider their moves," he added.

According to General Eisenberg, the challenge of the chemical danger is in principle defying the command. "We will train and we would be happy if citizens did not face this danger," he said.

"We are training on a multi-front confrontation. We would not train had it not been for the real capacities to strike the "Israeli" home front. The time of the 'one front privilege' has gone. The civil front would face something else. And we have sipped it during the second Lebanon War. The "Israeli" army is ready along the northern borders and is inspecting developments there. I am completely convinced that we would know how to retaliate adequately," he clarified.

*Translated by english.alahednews