IDF Calls up Reservists for Surprise Exercise in South

March 21, 2017

by: Yoav Zitun

Tuesday, 21 March 2017 | The IDF’s [Israel Defense Forces] Southern Command called up its reserve forces for a surprise exercise on Sunday amid a recent increase in rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel.

As part of the exercise, reserve forces will drill a variety of operational scenarios with an emphasis put on threats on the southern front.

The IDF said the exercise was planned in advance, and that an increased movement of military vehicles and IDF troops will be felt in southern and central Israel.

A Code Red rocket alert siren was sounded at the Eshkol Regional Council shortly before 12 p.m. on Sunday, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

On Saturday, a rocket launched from Gaza landed in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. In retaliation for the rocket on Saturday, IDF tanks and IAF fighter jets attacked two Hamas targets in the northern Gaza Strip.

It was the fifth rocket that fell inside Israel since early February and the 8th security incident on the border area within that time.

Posted on March 21, 2017

Source: (Ynetnews originally published this article on 19 March 2017. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF blog