From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 29, 2025
New division readying to start guarding entire Jordan border
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF’s new 96th Division, set to be responsible for the entire Jordan border area, completed a first division-level drill last week, the military announces.
The exercise on Thursday simulated “emergency scenarios and rapid response to sudden events, while increasing the division’s readiness for combat,” the IDF says.
The IDF adds that the drill was “conducted in cooperation with various security bodies and local authorities.”
The 96th Division, which goes by the nickname Gilad, completed a rapid formation within a 48-hour period during the war with Iran, after initially being set for deployment on August 1. It took up responsibility for the northern Jordan Valley area.
The division is eventually set to operate from the Israel-Jordan-Syria tri-border area in the north down to Ramon Airport in southern Israel, also encompassing the Yoav Regional Brigade, currently part of the 80th “Edom” Division. Part of the territory includes the West Bank.
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