IDF: Hundreds of thousands of enemy missiles trained on Israel - Lilach Shoval

by Lilach Shoval

Military estimates Israel's enemies have some 230,000 missiles trained on its borders • IDF believes air defenses could successfully counter 95% of potential threat • Homefront Command to hold earthquake and civilian disaster response drill next week.

Some 1,500 missiles could be fired on Israel daily, IDF warns [Illustrative] | Photo credit: AP

The next war could see as many as 1,500 rockets and missiles fired at Israel daily, military officials warned Thursday.

This ominous reference scenario is part of the IDF's war readiness plan, which also estimates Israel's enemies have as many as 230,000 missiles trained on its borders and home front. 

The military does, however, believe that while a considerable amount of the potential fire would target central Israel, 95% of the projectiles used by terrorist groups would be short-range rockets, and that given Israel's advanced air defenses, only about 1% would actually hit residential areas. 

Nevertheless, this reference scenario suggests Israeli civilian fatalities could reach 500 people.

To deal with this threat, the IDF Homefront Command has a detailed evacuation plan in place for all border-adjacent communities, or some 750,000 people. 

The current alert time for most central Israel currently affords civilians 90 seconds to find shelter in case of rocket fire, but the Homefront Command plans to reduce it to one minute. The decision is based on new and more accurate mapping of the potential areas at risk, so in fact, fewer Israelis would have to find shelter at any given time. 

Homefront Command threat mapping correctly divides Israel into several hundred areas, but the IDF plans to eventually map 3,000 alert areas nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Steadfast Home Front exercise is scheduled to take place next week, to drill earthquake and civilian disaster response nationwide. 

A Homefront Command official said that reference scenarios for a major earthquake in Israel indicate that some 28,000 buildings could collapse, meaning first responders would be unable to reach all Israelis in need in time. 

To better deal with this scenario, the Homefront Command has been holding several pilot programs to train civilians to assist emergency services on collapse sites. So far some 10,000 Israelis have participated in these programs. 

As part of the Steadfast Home Front exercise, air raid sirens will he heard nationwide, according to a schedule the Homefront Command will issue next week. 

The drill will include the Homefront Command, the National Emergency Administration, and municipalities and schools nationwide.

Lilach Shoval

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=36459

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