IDF Chief of Staff Emphasizes Readiness for Surprise Warfare

Chief of Staff of the IDF, Major General Eyal Zamir, has stressed the critical importance of learning from past conflicts to prepare for future ones, particularly emphasizing the need for constant readiness against surprise attacks. Zamir, accompanied by Commander of the Ground Forces Major General Nadav Lotan, visited the training exercises of the new 38th Division to assess its operational readiness.

During the visit, Zamir told soldiers that the primary lesson from past wars is that the IDF must always be prepared for sudden conflict. He stated that the army is analyzing past mistakes to prevent their recurrence and noted that after two decades of army downsizing, its numbers must now be increased due to growing tasks and the changing regional situation.

The 38th Division is beginning its operational activities and is slated to be transformed into a flexible tactical reserve formation within the year. Zamir concluded by thanking reservists for their service and dedication.

This comes amid heightened alert levels for Israeli security forces and the IDF due to potential threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iran, although no direct signals of an imminent attack have been detected. The Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has also informed the government that the IDF is preparing for a potential armed conflict with the Palestinian Authority, including scenarios where PA security forces and its "Tanzim" structure might use weapons against Israeli settlers and soldiers in Judea and Samaria.