Israel War Preparation Drill Biggest Ever

In what is being touted as Israel's most mass-scale war preparation drill ever, 'Turning Point 3' will over the course of five days involve both military and civilian participants practicing defensive protocols in a simulated attack scenario, CNN reports. According to CNN:

It will be conducted in public facilities, including schools, military bases and government offices. Students, soldiers and other civilians will practice how to gather at protected places during an emergency.

Officials said the drill will include simulated rockets, air raids and other attacks on infrastructure and essential facilities, and use of weapons on civilians.

Though the drill accounts for a number of possible attack scenarios, the primary concern is missile strikes, presumably from Iran, for which new forewarning technology is being tested. According to Jerusalem Post:

For the first time in such an exercise, the IDF Home Front Command will also test a new system that issues warning of incoming missile attacks to private cell phones. The IDF is also reviewing technology that would enable it to send little "pop-up" screens to computers that are connected to the Internet.

The critical moment of Turning Point 3 is set to be on Tuesday when air raid sirens will sound throughout the entire country, signaling every citizen to take cover within seconds, Al Jazeera reports. Also noted in the Al Jazeera report is that this is the third consecutive year that Israel has carried out a nationwide defense drill, though this year's is said to surpass previous drills in scale and intensity. From Al Jazeera:

The manoeuvres began in the aftermath of the July-August 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, which revealed major weaknesses in how Israel dealt with the rocket attacks on its territory. ...

Al Jazeera's James Bays, on the Lebanese border with Israel, said: "Israel said that this is something that was planned a long time ago. But on this side of the border, people are very suspicious."

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Comments

[Jaywalkker]

Nationwide drills? It seems that militarily and defensively, Israel generally has their act together. I know some may assume this is just further proof they're preparing for larger aggressions in the mid-East, but after January's Gaza offensive and like the article says, I assume its out of the practicality of sporadic rocket attacks.

I'm eager to see how this turns out, can anyone imagine what it would be like for the US to issue a country-wide "drill" unifying military, government, and schools? I'd imagine it would be like herding cats and rank at most a D from the GAO.

[MemoryAlpha]

Statement:
...out of the practicality of sporadic rocket attacks.

Statistics:
Less than ten people died from rocket attacks before Operation Cast Lead. During the cease fire, rocket attacks into Israel dropped to less than three a month on average.

[Aziat]

Trivializing the aims of Rocket Attacks into Israel:
Anti-Semetic

[petera63]

Well, the rocket throwers got the message, I guess...

[Jaywalkker]

I live in Texas, if Chihuahua province were shooting rockets at us on a semi-regular basis, but hardly anyone died in comparison to the hundreds of mortars raining down in and around my city, TX shouldn't practice drills and emergency maneuvers?

I'm not sure what point you're making, MemoryAlpha.

[CigarGod]

Okay Obama, this might be that "test" that was referred to.

Just what would Obama do if Iz. jumped on Iran?

[snakeman]

The rate they are going they will need these drills.

[SueInCA]

How nice for the Israelis that they are using money contributed from the US to come up with all these technologies while the US is drowning in debt. Not against Israel but this is what our money is being used for, while all the while Netanyahu is voicing his war-like rhetoric?

[Sentientbeing09]

Yes. Good news for Israelis that they can afford bomb shelters and air raid sirens.

If only Palestinians could afford the luxury. Maybe the Israelis wouldnt have been so successful bombing Palestinian civilians from 30,000 feet.

[MrT3]

the power of fear.....

[samilli3]

I hope America lets them do what they want..this kid needs to grow up

[wadenelson1]

Sounds like the perfect cover during which to launch an attack.

[furey]

"How can we know the dancer from the dance?"

http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/memory-holes-in-the-floor/

[Enlightened22]

You get the feeling they took so pages from Cheney's book about the use of fear for political purpose. How curious this is going on at the same time Obama's administration is pushing against some of Israel policies.

[zest]

How does that saying go? "You can't prepare for war and peace at the same time"

[petera63]

No, dude, the saying goes like this: "If you want peace, prepare for war."

[baba2nde]

Hoping and praying that no Israeli ordnance "accidentally" lands on Iranian territory, for the sake of world peace.