Iran threatens Israeli coastline — IDF Navy launches massive exercise
Against the backdrop of Revolutionary Guards' threats to target strategic assets, the IDF Navy is practicing a multi-front campaign along Israel's coast and in the Red Sea. The drills focus on protecting energy facilities, merchant ships, and ports from missile attacks, UAVs, and maritime incursions.
Israel is treating the threats voiced over the weekend by the Revolutionary Guards with the utmost seriousness. Iran has signaled its intention to launch a significant preemptive strike on Israel, targeting strategic assets at sea and along the coastline.
Among the targets identified by the Iranians are Israel's energy facilities, including power plants, water desalination plants, and gas platforms in the Mediterranean Sea. The defense establishment is also preparing for scenarios involving attacks on seaports aimed at disrupting their operations.
Major IDF war exercise
Parallel to these threats, the IDF has been conducting a large-scale war exercise over the past two days, marking one of the largest naval drills carried out by the branch in recent years.
The exercise simulates defensive battles along Israel's coastline, from the Shavei Tzion area in the north to Ashdod in the south, as well as operations in the Red Sea off the coast of Eilat. As part of the drills, forces are practicing responses to commando raids on Eilat and other beaches across the country.
IDF naval fighters are training for a multi-front campaign that includes:
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Rocket fire and UAV attacks directed at gas platforms and merchant ships.
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Fire from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
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Raids by naval commando forces on the Israeli coast.
One of the scenarios simulates an infiltration similar to the one that occurred at Zikim beach on October 7, when the IDF failed to prevent the raid.
Hundreds of fighters, missile ships, and submarines
A military source stated that the exercise focuses on multi-front combat and the protection of gas platforms and Israeli ports, alongside scenarios in the Red Sea. Hundreds of fighters, missile ships, submarines, and security patrol squadrons are participating. The goal is to strengthen operational readiness and cooperation between all naval units.
The IDF confirmed that Shayetet-13 fighters are taking part in the exercise, alongside the new naval squadron of the Air Force, which began operating last week with the Black Hawk naval helicopters recently purchased by the IDF.
