Lebanon on Full Alert ahead of "Israel´s" Most Extensive Drill

Hanan Awarekeh
Source: almanar.com.lb, 30-5-2009

Lebanese army sources said on Saturday that the country's military had been placed "on full alert," ahead of "Israel's" large-scale Home Front Command drill expected to begin on Sunday till Thursday.

An army source who did not wish to be identified said that despite [the fact that] the Lebanese government has received assurances from various sides including [United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon] UNIFIL that the maneuvers were defensive in nature, the Lebanese army was placed in a state of full alert along the border with occupied Palestine.

Government offices and 252 local councils and municipalities will open "crisis rooms" that will respond to various emergency scenarios.

Military patrols were seen near the Palestinian border in the south of Lebanon Saturday. Hizbullah has also said that its fighters were ready to respond to any "possible aggression."

The "Turning Point 3" exercise, which is the third large-scale Home Front Drill to be held since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, will begin on May 31 and will last five days. The drill will be operated by the "Israeli" War Ministry with the assistance of the National Emergency Authority. It is aimed at training the "Israeli" home front, from the government level down to the plain citizen level, and will simulate a comprehensive regional war.

According to the scenario, the war will involve Hamas, Hizbullah and Syria. The Political-Security Cabinet will practice the various scenarios, while the "Israeli" occupation army will mobilize forces in accordance with the occurrences. The proposed scenario simulates an escalation lasting three months, reaching its peak with an overall attack on the Zionist entity. The drill will, for the first time, include an exercise to evacuate approximately 6,000 civilians from a commercial Tel Aviv building.

On Sunday, the drill kicks off with an exercise to the "Israeli" ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting. Monday will see the "Israeli" army; Home Front Command, Emergency Economy, "Israeli" Police, government ministries and local authorities take part in the drill.

On Tuesday, an air raid siren will be sounded across the country, roads will be blocked and citizens and school students will practice entering bomb shelters. The Political-Security Cabinet and national information system will take part in the drill on Wednesday. On Thursday, the last day of the drill, "Israeli" occupation army corps will hold field exercises and the training of the Home Front Command headquarters will continue.

Representatives of international agencies, governments and armies from the United States, Uruguay, Turkey, Japan, Hungary, France and Germany will be visiting Tel Aviv to witness parts of the drill.

Last week, the "Israeli" Air Force held a three-day drill that included various scenarios and staged fronts the force may have to handle. Pilots also practiced a number of combat maneuvers. The drill was annual, but incorporated scenarios relevant to the current threats faced by "Israel". As part of the drill, members of the IAF were briefed on Iran's test-launch of its new missile, the Sajjil-2, which has been said to pose a threat to "Israel's" security.