Israeli Air Force on High Alert

The Hebrew daily Maariv reported Saturday evening that the Israeli Air Force is on a particularly high state of alert, having raised its readiness level to six times that of the night of October 7, 2023, in preparation for the Feast of Tabernacles, according to a military source.

It noted that the Israeli military, under the direction of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, is reinforcing its forces across various sectors in preparation for the holiday, following similar reinforcements carried out during preparations for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Maariv said that regular battalions will remain on alert across the different commands until the end of the holiday period, with the possibility of rapid activation, alongside division headquarters placed on alert.

It added that companies of fighters will be allocated to reinforce the various sectors during the Feast of Tabernacles, along with reserve companies, and will continue their missions throughout the holiday week and the subsequent days of the festival, according to the newspaper.

The Central Command will be reinforced with additional forces during the holiday, including units from the Maglan unit, and joint meetings were held between the various agencies before the holiday to ensure coordination, readiness and cooperation among them.

The military source said the elevation of alert in the Air Force was part of a change implemented by Air Force commander Major General Omer Tishler, who instructed pilots that if Israel is subjected to a surprise attack they must head to the squadrons, board the aircraft and go out to fight with whatever is available, even if there are no technical personnel in the squadron.

Tishler told the pilots: "If you detect an enemy launching an attack, attack them. You do not need to obtain approvals from the rear (from the command)."

Since the October 7, 2023 attack, the Air Force, according to Maariv, has taken measures to strengthen its ability to deal with infiltration operations: every settlement in the Gaza envelope, on the northern border, in the seam zone and in the eastern area has received air cover that includes dozens of jamming targets around them.

The Hebrew newspaper reported that each pilot carries in his map file information and the locations of buildings in all settlements located within these areas.

Combat helicopter pilots and unmanned aerial vehicle operators have open communication channels with security officials in the settlements, and a pilot can call any security official by phone to obtain an updated picture of the situation and to identify targets for attack inside a settlement in the event of an infiltration.