The IDF announced on Monday the start of its largest war drill in decades, dubbed "Chariots of Fire."
The month-long exercise will prepare forces for intense multi-arena combat in the air, at sea, on land and in the cyber arena, a statement by the military stated.
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"The IDF's top priority is to protect Israeli civilians and strengthen the sense of security within the State of Israel. Throughout the exercise, IDF soldiers will continue to carry out counter-terrorism activities and strengthen defensive efforts along the Judea and Samaria security barrier," the statement said.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and other high-ranking generals joined IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi at the army's Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv to view the launch of the exercise.
"I want to thank the defense minister and chief of staff for a very significant exercise that is now underway and will help upgrade our capabilities and our preparations for actual situations. At the same time, the IDF is continuing to carry out broad operational activities… and this is also challenging.
"We aren't looking for a conflict and don't want a conflict, but we are ready for any scenario that unfolds. The enemy knows that if he drags us into a conflict – he will pay an unbearable price. The Israeli public needs to know that the State of Israel is stronger than the sum of all its enemies together, and we will always be ready, in all areas, in this regard."
The army described the operation as one that "aims to both increase the IDF's defensive readiness and examine its preparedness for an intensive and prolonged campaign."
"Chariots of Fire" will include regular and reserve IDF personnel from all commands, branches and directorates, according to the statement.
Kochavi defined the goals of the exercise as including the improvement of the IDF's operational systems and defensive readiness for armed conflict; training in implementing the "victory" operational concept, which is based on conducting a sequence of high-rate operational and defensive activities and maneuvering on land, sea, in the air and cyber in a coordinated manner; applying lessons learned from the conflict Israel fought with Hamas in May 2021; and examining the performance of all IDF personnel, ranging from the headquarters level to the operational end.
"The exercise will train the IDF's response to challenges from developing events across various arenas, as well as emergency scenarios in both military and civilian spaces. In addition, operational activities will be trained in various scenarios and will test assistance efforts and life-saving capabilities on Israel's Home Front," said the IDF. "During the exercise, and continuing throughout the month, large-scale movement of security forces including military and armored vehicles, aircraft and vessels will be seen," the army's statement continued.
The IDF stressed that the war drill had been planned in advance and is a part of the military's 2022 training schedule.
"Safeguarding Israel's security is tied to two anchors: force activation, and force building in a sustained, multi-year manner. The IDF can do both. I want to thank you, prime minister, for your visit, and you, chief of staff, for constructing this exercise," Gantz said.
"I have personal experience of around 20 years with these types of exercises, from all different angles and vantage points and I can definitively state that this exercise eclipses all its predecessors. It is deep, prolonged, on all fronts, in the headquarters, in the field, in conjunction with government ministries and really is very significant," he added.
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