Israeli navy holds surprise drill as part of ‘Chariots of Fire’ exercises

Israel’s navy has launched a surprise drill as part of the month-long “Chariots of Fire” military exercises, despite an earlier warning by Palestinian resistance groups that they will not hesitate to respond to any act of aggression against the Palestinian people.

The drill, which took place on Sunday, was aimed to test the ability of the navy to switch from routine to emergency format and to handle erupting situations, the Jerusalem Post reported.

On May 9, the Israeli military launched the four-week Chariots of Fire war game, which simulates a multi-frontal and multidimensional war against what the Israeli regime called its enemies in the air, at sea, on land, and on the cyber front.

The Israeli military claimed that the goal of the drill was to improve the readiness of all Israeli forces and examine the ability of troops to carry out a prolonged campaign against enemy forces.

The so-called Chariots of Fire is said to be Israel’s largest military exercise in decades.

The Israeli military is also set to hold a test of the siren systems and emergency preparedness in Tel Aviv and Haifa on Monday, when settlers are expected to enter bomb shelters when they hear the sirens and to ensure that their shelters are well-stocked for an emergency

In the case of an actual attack, the sirens will sound twice, the Israeli military said.

In case of all-out war, Israel will be hit with 3,000 missiles a day, retired Israeli general says

A retired Israeli general has warned that the regime will be hit with 3,000 missiles a day in case an all-out war breaks out.

The surprise naval drill comes as the Jerusalem Post expressed its concerns in a report over the “expanding arsenal” of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement.

The Israeli newspaper referred to a video circulating online that purportedly shows that Hezbollah “has some new munitions in its always expanding arsenal.”

“Over the years, Hezbollah has stockpiled more than 100,000 missiles and rockets. However, the real danger of these weapons is that some have been upgraded or use new technology that enables them to be precision-guided munitions, or maneuvering munitions, drones, and cruise missiles,” according to the Post .

The report cited a Twitter account as saying that “the new Hezbollah video shows a glance of what is likely an Abu-Mahdi anti-ship cruise missile launcher.”

Hezbollah was established following the 1982 Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon. Since then, the popular resistance group has grown into a powerful military force.

Lebanon fought off two Israeli wars in 2000 and 2006. On both occasions, battleground contribution by Hezbollah proved an indispensable asset, forcing the Israeli military into a retreat and shattering the myth of the occupying entity’s invincibility.

Lebanon and Israel are technically at war because the latter has kept the Arab country’s Shebaa Farms under occupation since 1967.

Hezbollah has on many occasions expressed its full readiness for any confrontation in case the Israel regime opts to launch a new war against Lebanon.

Last December, Yitzhak Brik, a retired Israeli general, warned that the Israeli military was not ready for any future war, predicting that the regime would be hit with 3,000 missiles a day in case an all-out war breaks out.

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