BICOM

Today in Israel sirens are set to go off twice throughout the country, as part of a national emergency drill. All Israel’s citizens-in their homes, workplaces, schools, kindergartens and streets-will be called upon to immediately enter the nearest shelters and protected spaces.

This drill marks the peak of the national home front exercise, “Turning Point 5,” which is entering its fourth day this morning. This is the fifth consecutive year that the exercise has taken place, as part of the lessons of the Second Lebanon War. This year, for the first time, all Israeli citizens will be drilled with two rising and falling sirens.

 “This is the largest home front exercise in the world,” said yesterday Home Front Defense Minister Matan Vilnai. Representatives from many countries around the world, including foreign military attachés, police officers and search and rescue officials, will come to learn firsthand about the operating methods of the Israeli emergency array and the structuring of a national exercise.