IDF Brigade, Fresh from Gaza, Drills for Possible Combat in Lebanon

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) brigade that has been active in the fight against Hamas in Gaza drilled last week in northern Israel in preparation for a possible ground war against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The Kfir Brigade, which has been deployed in Gaza and elsewhere, is now turning its attention to the northern front.

In a joint statement by the IDF and the Israel Security Agency (ISA, or Shin Bet, or Shabak), the Israeli military said:

This week (Thursday), after a series of exercises of the reserve brigades in the Northern Command, the first exercise by a regular duty infantry brigade in the northern region was completed – the Kfir Brigade. 

Over the past few days, the soldiers of the Kfir Brigade practiced combat on enemy territory while practicing movement through thicketed terrain, mountainous terrain, and activating fire. As part of the exercise, the troops practiced combat scenarios, evacuation of the wounded, encounters with the enemy, and the use of camouflage and combat techniques. Additionally, the work of the various headquarters were exercised.

The exercise is part of an ongoing series of ground forces exercises focusing on the northern sector, that are being led by the Ground Forces Training Center.

Since the beginning of the war, the brigade’s soldiers have operated in three sectors – in Gaza, conducting maneuvers in the south, center, and north of the Gaza Strip; in Judea and Samaria, apprehending terrorists; and in the North, taking part in the combat on the northern border.

Hezbollah attacked Israel in October, firing daily salvos of rockets, drones, and anti-tank missiles in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel in the south. Israel has evacuated 60,000 civilians from border towns and has fired back, moving more aggressively in recent weeks to eliminate key Hezbollah leaders, including as far away as Beirut.

The prospect of war has increased recently, as Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and for the killing of Hezbollah second-in-command Fuad Shukr (al-Hajj Mohsin) in Beirut.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.