(Oct. 21, 2026 / JNS)
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Tuesday that the military had reinforced troops across all fronts to thwart threats and allow Israel’s Oct. 27 parliamentary elections to proceed securely.
“Our goal is to enable democratic elections to take place without external interference,” Zamir said during a visit to a large-scale Gaza Division command exercise, according to an IDF statement.
“Our enemies have suffered very heavy blows, but they continue to plan attacks against us,” he said. “We do not wait for threats to emerge; we act proactively to eliminate them.”
The drill incorporated lessons from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre and simulated defensive and offensive scenarios, the military said. Zamir reviewed the division’s readiness and its ability to carry out operational plans alongside senior commanders, including Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor and Gaza Division commander Brig. Gen. Liron Batito.
“The lessons of October 7th require us to ensure that such an event never happens again,” Zamir said. “We must always be prepared, recognize that blind spots exist that we may not have identified, and prepare for every scenario.”
He also praised Southern Command operations targeting terrorists and infiltrators who participated in the Oct. 7 attack, calling their pursuit “an operational and moral mission.”