High alert: The Chief of Staff's pre-election message

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited a large-scale command exercise of the Gaza Division on Tuesday, emphasizing the lessons of the October 7 massacre and the military's preparations to prevent future attacks. Zamir was accompanied by Southern Command Commander Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Itay Ofir, Gaza Division Commander Brig. Gen. Liron Batito, Head of the Operations Directorate Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, and additional senior commanders. The exercise was developed based on the findings and lessons of October 7 and simulated a range of defensive and offensive scenarios aimed at defeating the enemy. During his visit, Zamir examined the troops' operational proficiency and readiness for emergency missions. He also conducted a situational assessment with brigade commanders to evaluate the division's preparedness for war and its ability to implement operational plans under different circumstances. "The lessons of October 7th require us to ensure that such an event never happens again," Zamir said. "We must always be prepared, recognize that blind spots exist that we may not have identified, and prepare for every scenario. Our test lies in our readiness, operational proficiency, and operational tempo." The Chief of Staff stressed the importance of ensuring that operational directives reach every level of the military. "We must ensure that orders and directives are implemented down to the last military outpost and every troop in the field, so that we do not allow the enemy to surprise us," he said. Zamir also addressed the IDF's continuing efforts to locate and eliminate terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre. "We are engaged in an ongoing pursuit against the terrorists and infiltrators who participated in the October 7th attack," he stated. "I would like to express my appreciation to the Southern Command for its successful counterterrorism operations. This is an operational and moral mission, and we will continue to act resolutely to complete it." Turning to the broader security situation, Zamir revealed that the IDF had reinforced its defensive positions and deployed additional forces across multiple arenas over the past week. "Over the past week, we have strengthened our defenses and reinforced our troops across all arenas, and we are maintaining a high level of alertness and readiness," he said. "Our enemies have suffered very heavy blows, but they continue to plan attacks against us." The Chief of Staff emphasized that the IDF would continue employing a proactive defensive strategy rather than waiting for threats to materialize. "We operate across all combat arenas based on the principle of forward defense and counterterrorism. We do not wait for threats to emerge; we act proactively to eliminate them," he declared. Zamir concluded by linking the military's heightened readiness to the need to protect Israel's democratic process. "Our goal is to enable democratic elections to take place without external interference," he said.