IDF tests sirens in Jerusalem area
Alarms sound in and around the capital as part of an exercise by Home Front Command
The Home Front Command of the Israel Defense Forces tested its warning apparatus in the Jerusalem area on Wednesday morning, with sirens sounding in the area at 10:05 a.m. Israel time.
The army also sent out SMS messages to supported cell phones and beepers located in the capital.
Radio signals were blocked as part of the exercise, the latest in a series of tests conducted during 2015, which is designed to maintain the IDF’s competence and preparedness in the event of a large-scale attack.
Similar mock warning drill have been staged over the past few months, including a five-day nationwide exercise in June, which simulated a massive coordinated missile attack on population centers across Israel.
According to military assessments, a future conflict with terror groups surrounding Israel, such as Hezbollah, could include a scenario in which the IDF may have to evacuate citizens due to massive rocket fire and attempts to infiltrate and occupy Israeli towns.