Netanyahu to Israel’s enemies: ‘Don’t test us’

Netanyahu cautioned Israel’s enemies while attending an IDF exercise. 

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, attended an IDF exercise in the north. The Prime Minister was briefed on the exercise and spoke with soldiers and commanders who participated in it.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, said, following the exercise:

“I am concluding a major, multi-corps IDF exercise in several areas. I am very impressed by the improvement in readiness, by the fighting spirit of the soldiers and commanders, and mainly by the destructive power of the IDF.

“I hear our neighbors from the north, south and east threatening our destruction. I say to our enemies: The IDF has very great destructive power. Don’t test us.”

Israel conducted the exercise this week to evaluate its capabilities to wage a multi-front war. According to a senior Air Force official, “The entire air force is in the air.”

It was one of the largest military exercises held by Israel in years, with thousands of troops from the army, navy and air force simulating a future war with the militant Lebanese Hezbollah group amid fears that Iran would draw its Shiite proxy into the recent growing tensions in the Persian Gulf.

The Israeli military said the four-day exercise had been planned long in advance and focused on the immersion of all branches against threats emanating from Israel’s north. It included a large deployment of unmanned aircraft and the first use of the F-35 stealth fighter planes to prepare for scenarios of missile attacks and underground infiltrations from Lebanon.

By chance, the 98th Paratroopers Division was also conducting an exercise.

AP contributed to this report.