The army recently stationed a battery of the Iron Dome system in the Dan region,
as part of an aerial defense exercise against a simulated rocket attack on
greater Tel Aviv.
The IDF emphasized that the drill is not operational
and does not involve the firing of interception rockets, but is merely a
technical test planned in advance, aimed at practicing rapid deployment of the
system.
Nevertheless, the exercise is an indication of preparations by
the military for additional confrontations with Gazan terrorist
organizations.
During future fighting, Gazans will likely fire
longer-range rockets into the central region, security forces
believe.
“The Iron Dome is in the process of being integrated
operationally,” the IDF Spokesman’s Office said.
“From time to time, it
is deployed in various sites around the country. During these days... it is
being stationed in Gush Dan,” the office added.
On Sunday, a senior
police commander told The Jerusalem Post that police were preparing for the
possibility of rockets hitting places that had previously been out of range of
the Gaza Strip.
“We assume that in the next round, some rockets will fall
in central Israel,” Cmdr. Bentsi Sao, head of the central district,
said.
A couple of rockets slammed into the central district during the
most recent round of escalation earlier this month, and security forces expect
more to be fired deep into Israel in any future fighting.