Surprise War Scenario: General Eyal Zamir Puts IDF on Maximum Alert
Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that the IDF must maintain peak readiness for a series of offensive operations across multiple war fronts. He stressed the need to draw lessons from October 7, strengthen defensive posture, and remain constantly alert for decisive victory in a multi-arena war.
Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed senior officers during a conference summarizing recent divisional operational exercises, delivering a firm message about the IDF's current strategic posture and future requirements.
Zamir described the present period as one of improving operational readiness for a major campaign. We are in a phase of enhancing readiness for war, he said. We must continue to draw lessons from the events of October 7, strengthen our defensive stance, and be prepared for a sequence of offensive operations across all war fronts.
He underscored that the IDF is planning for several possible scenarios and must remain vigilant at all times to achieve decisive results in a multi-front war. The IDF is preparing for a number of possibilities, and we must stay alert and ready constantly to reach a decisive outcome in a multi-arena war, Zamir stated.
The remarks reflect the military leadership's focus on integrating lessons from the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack and the subsequent Gaza war into training and force buildup. Recent large-scale divisional exercises tested command and control, rapid maneuver, combined arms operations, and logistics under realistic multi-domain conditions. Zamir highlighted the importance of maintaining both high defensive alertness and offensive momentum simultaneously, ensuring the army can shift quickly between holding ground and launching deep strikes when required.
The conference also reviewed improvements in intelligence integration, real-time targeting cycles, and coordination between ground forces, air power, and cyber units. Officers presented after-action reviews that identified gaps in rapid decision-making and cross-corps synchronization, with Zamir directing accelerated implementation of fixes ahead of future drills.
His emphasis on continuous offensive readiness across all arenas signals an institutional shift toward a proactive, multi-dimensional posture capable of handling simultaneous threats from different directions and actors. This approach aims to deter escalation while preserving Israel's freedom of action should deterrence fail.