The Israeli Air Force wrapped up a three-day military drill on Tuesday that demonstrated the IDF’s ability to attack some 3,000 targets within a 24-hour period.
The drill was launched at the proverbial “drop of a hat” to test the soldiers’ endurance and operational skills under pressure and their ability to face multiple targets within a short span.
The scenario involved a mock attack on an Israeli combat aircraft on a routine intelligence flight in Lebanon, followed by a series of strikes on Hezbollah targets, with the Iranian proxy group launching attacks on IDF forces and infiltration attempts along Israel’s northern border.
“During a month of fighting in southern Lebanon in 2006, we attacked some 3,500 targets, said a senior IAF officer, “the same number we have simulated in just one day. Our attack plans are wide-spanned and up to date.”
The drill comes in the wake of an attempt by Hezbollah to down an Israeli Heron drone over Lebanon. The message to the Iranian proxy terror group was crystal clear.
“This was a very broad exercise. The scenario that started this drill was a surface-to-air missile attack by Hezbollah against an Israeli UAV. The air force prepared for a retaliation, during which additional attacks were launched against another aircraft,” a senior IAF officer said.
“In this exercise, we simulated the actions that the entire air force would take, going from peacetime to wartime, in order to deal with these threats, these attacks against our aircraft,” he added. The officer, who participated in the drill, cannot be identified for security reasons.
IDF military intelligence has indicated the Lebanese terror group is increasing its attempts to launch small-scale attacks along Israel’s northern border.
“During this exercise we also examined the possibility of Hezbollah attacking by way of Syria,” another IAF officer said. “We simulated attacks on their command centers, including infrastructure meant to facilitate the transfer of Iranian weapons.”
According to the Israel Defense Forces, dozens of aircraft — fighter jets, cargo planes, helicopters and drones — took part in the exercise, the intensity of which was unprecedented and which is seen as a clear threat to Hezbollah.