Israel Defense Forces began a week-long military drill on Thursday to span the breadth of northern Israel.
Local residents were warned to expect loud explosions during the exercise, which will continue until next Thursday.
The drill, which the IDF said was planned in advance, is designed to keep the forces sharp, particularly in light of tensions with Lebanon over recent negotiations for demarcation of a maritime border between the two countries.
An agreement is to be signed next week on the dispute that focused on which country had the right to extract natural gas from offshore fields in the area.
Earlier this week the Israeli military held a three-day drill in the southern sector spanning from the Arava Valley, down to Eilat and across the Negev region.
That exercise was held together with Israel Police, Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency and security personnel.
