Israel Begins Large-Scale Maneuvers
Israel began its largest-ever national exercise on Sunday to test the response of emergency services to potential missile attacks, bombings and natural disasters.
The five-day exercise will simulate simultaneous rocket strikes from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and missile attacks from arch-foes Syria and Iran and test the way rescue services deal with the attacks.
"We will be exercising the doomsday scenario of simultaneous strikes against Israel on all fronts and by different means," defense ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror told AFP last week.
This will include conventional, chemical and biological strikes against large population centers. It will also simulate a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings.
On Tuesday, when air-raid sirens sound across the country and citizens must scramble to shelters, in some areas within seconds and others within no more than three minutes.
Exercise Turning Point 3 will also simulate the conduct of rescue and medical services during earthquakes and epidemics.
And there will be simulated cabinet meetings in which ministers will weigh their response to such attacks and scenarios.
It is the third consecutive year Israel is conducting such an exercise, although this year”s drill is the largest-ever.
The maneuvers began in the aftermath of the July-August 2006 war with Lebanon, which revealed major weaknesses in how the Jewish state”s home-front dealt with the rocket attacks.
"The Second Lebanon War revealed that the home-front was not well prepared for war and citizens found it hard to adapt to the special situation," Dror said.
The drill comes just two weeks after the air force wrapped up a massive four-day exercise that tested its ability to defend against missile and jet strikes from Syria and Iran.
It was the first time the army has simulated strikes from the Islamic republic, located more than 1,000 kilometers away, he said.