Major Israeli exercise includes government leaders
TEL AVIV — Israel has launched a major military exercise that
included government leaders in a campaign to learn from last year war with Hizubllah.
Officials said the military began its command and control exercise on
Monday designed to integrate the General Staff and the government. They said
the exercise, the first since 2003, was meant to test the response by both
the prime minister and defense minister in coordination with the chief of
staff during a war or other crisis.
"The success of the process depends on the commander and the one who
watches him," military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin said.
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During the four-day exercise, officials said government and military
leaders would seek to learn the lessons from the war against Hizbullah in
mid-2006. During the 34-day campaign, the military did not operate General
Staff headquarters as during previous wars.
Officials said that during the current exercise, Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz were presented with war scenarios.
The two men were meant to direct a response to heavy missile and rocket
attacks on Israel.
Under one scenario, Israel came under a missile and rocket attack from
several fronts. The scenario included attacks from Lebanon, Syria, the West
Bank and Gaza Strip.
The military and government leaders were also presented with a mock
insurgency attack in Tel Aviv. The scenario called for massive casualties
amid regional threats.
On Monday, Olmert toured northern Israel near the Lebanese border.
Officials said the most likely scenario was for a war with Hizbullah, Syria
and perhaps Iran in 2007.
