As Iranian influence continues to spread north of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to invest a large sum of money in 2022 to prepare for increased conflict with Hezbollah and other Iranian-sponsored fighters.
Heading in to 2022, the IDF has announced it will be investing a reported 1 billion Israeli new shekels (NIS – approximately $325 million) into enhanced military drills in training, primarily targeting reserves units. The news surfaces as military confrontations between Israel and pro-Iranian terror proxies in Lebanon and Syria have continued to increase over the last year.
Close to half a dozen Israeli strikes have taken place in Syria in the last 30 days alone targeting Iranian-backed fighters, weapon storage facilities, military outposts, and more.
Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Benny Gantz, have made frequent trips to the northern border to evaluate the Jewish State’s security. Additionally, the IDF recently deployed enhanced military intelligence equipment in the northern portion of the country.
Painting a picture of how much military activity at Israel’s northern border has increased in the last three years, The Jerusalem Post noted that the IDF is planning 20 divisional exercises in 2022 compared to its 13 in 2021, which rose from only three in 2020.