IDF begins drill near Gaza that was 'planned ahead of time'

Army says heavy military traffic, movement of army units will be noticeable in area.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Tank crews from the Seventh Brigade's 75th Battalion train with their new Merkava Mk. 4 tanks (photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
Tank crews from the Seventh Brigade's 75th Battalion train with their new Merkava Mk. 4 tanks
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
The IDF said it would begin an exercise in southern Israel, in the Gaza border region, on Sunday, lasting from 1:00 p.m. until the evening.
The army said that during the exercise, which will include the outskirts of Sderot, heavy military traffic and the movement of army units would be noticeable in the area.
"The IDF Spokesman stresses that the event was planned ahead of time, as part of the graph of exercises for 2015, and is designed to safeguard the readiness of forces," the army said in a statement.
Last week, the Home Front Command rehearsed civil defenses and cooperation with emergency responders and local government, during a week-long drill simulating war on multiple fronts and heavy projectile fire on Israel.
The Israel Air Force also held a series of drills last week, one of which was designed to test its ability to fire large numbers of precision-guided munitions at targets hidden in built up areas, in a short period of time. The exercise also tested the IAF's ability to maintain operations despite its bases being targeted by guided Hezbollah missile attacks.
"We strengthened our readiness for the northern arena," an IAF senior officer said last week.