Air Force completes 3-day exercise simulating war in the north

The Israeli Air Force has completed a three-day surprise exercise simulating large-scale war in the north, including mock strikes on thousands of targets, the military says.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, dozens of aircraft — fighter jets, cargo planes and drones — took part in the exercise, operated and assisted by conscripted and reservist forces, who were called up on short notice after the drill was announced on Sunday.

The military says the exercise simulated a major conflict on the country’s northern borders — Syria and Lebanon, home to the powerful Hezbollah terror group and allied Iranian proxies.

טיל נ"מ של חיזבאללה שמוביל למלחמה: התרחיש שתרגל חיל האוויר בצפון | צפו בתיעוד@roysharon11 https://t.co/7DJuM3i5vu pic.twitter.com/EpEf10x9Dd

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“During [the exercise], intense fighting was simulated, along with offensive operations, scenarios involving defending the country’s airspace, command and control operations, precise planning and widescale, powerful strikes. In addition, strikes on thousands of targets and the launching of many weapons were practiced to simulate war on the northern front,” the military says.

The surprise exercise came amid lingering tension in the region between Israel and Hezbollah over the death of one of the terror group’s operatives in Syria in an airstrike widely attributed to the IDF.