Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who also serves as the country’s Defense Minister — decided Tuesday together with the IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, Shin Bet domestic intelligence director Yoram Cohen, National Security Council director Meir Ben-Shabbat and senior IDF and security establishment commanders and officials to beef up the military presence at the Gaza border.
After their assessment of the situation, another infantry division and an artillery battalion was sent to the Southern Command sector, according to a communique from the IDF Kirya military headquarters.
In addition, the IDF Chief of Staff approved the mobilization of additional reserves and the cancellation of battalion replacements in operational deployment which were planned for the rest of the week in various sectors.