IDF must be ready for ‘surprise war,’ Central Command chief warns after snap inspection

Head of Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth warns that the military must remain prepared for the possibility of a sudden outbreak of war, following a surprise inspection of units in the West Bank yesterday, the IDF says.

“The baseline scenario we must prepare for is readiness for a surprise war,” Bluth says at the conclusion of the inspection. “We are required to maintain a high level of preparedness and alertness, while using the time to strengthen our professional foundations.”

According to the military, the surprise inspection examined the readiness of three battalions across three brigades and two regional divisions, including the implementation of procedures, outpost defenses and the fitness of forces to operate in both routine and emergency scenarios.

Bluth said inspections are “a vital tool” for maintaining operational readiness, allowing commanders “to identify gaps before they become root problems, learn, refine processes and continuously improve the readiness of our forces – in routine [times] and during an emergency.”

The findings of the inspection will be used to sharpen standards and strengthen preparedness across the Central Command, which is responsible for the West Bank and areas of central Israel, the IDF says.