IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in a briefing early Sunday evening that Israeli forces are ready to defend the nation from any and all threats from Iran and its regional proxies.
That having been said, however, Hagari warned that the defense “is not hermetic.” In response to a question from a reporter asking why Israel has not carried out a pre-emptive operation to mitigate the impending attack pledged by Iran, the spokesperson said the decision for such a move lies with the political-security echelon, and not with the IDF.
Israel’s military can and will carry out whatever mission assigned by the government, he said.
Hagari focused on a new alert system that will alert Israelis to an impending attack via the cellphones.
The system is based on the globally-used Cell Broadcast system that sends brief messages to multiple cell phones in a defined area.
The IDF Home Front Command has tweaked the system to “enable the receipt of a message in large-scale emergency events, such as rocket attacks on Israel,” Hagari said.
Alerts will pop up on a user’s phone with an emergency message and an alarm sound solely in the specific threatened area, without any need to install an app, SIM card, software or even cellular reception.
A similar alert system was implemented during Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel.
Hagari emphasized that the system is not intended to replace the Home Front Command app or the Red Alert incoming alarm sirens that activate in communities targeted by rocket fire or incoming attack drones.
Rather, he said, the system is intended for use during “surprise large-scale emergencies.”
At this point, he added, there are no changes to the current Home Front Command instructions for Israeli civilians.
“Until we say otherwise, there are no changes to the Home Front Command guidelines. We will update only when required,” he said.
“At the same time, we are at a high level of defense readiness — in the air, at sea and on the ground. We are ready for any sudden threat.”
