JERUSALEM, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military will start a general staff exercise to enhance its ability to respond to emergencies, said a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday.
As a part of the exercise, the Home Front Command will carry out the National Home Front Drill named "Solid Stand," which will take place throughout the country, according to the statement.
The objective of the general staff exercise is to enhance the headquarters' response to a variety of emergency and warfare scenarios and to improve the readiness and operational communication between the commands, said the Israeli army.
The exercise is not related to "Juniper Cobra 2018," the IDF's joint exercise with the U.S. military, added the IDF.
Drills will be carried out in several locations throughout the country over the course of the week.
Planned ahead as part of IDF's training program in 2018, the objective of this year's exercise is to improve Israel's ability to respond to threats on both a national and local scale.
Home Front Command forces will train alongside National Emergency Management Authority personnel, local authorities, Israeli security and rescue forces, the education system and both public and private organizations, said the IDF.
As part of the drill, an alarm will sound throughout Israel on Tuesday.
The alarms will be broadcast on radio and public address systems, online, on devices for the hearing impaired, on television and on the Home Front Command smartphone application.
The sounding of sirens will train the Israeli public to seek and enter shelters in or near their homes and workplaces and will evaluate the working order of the national siren system, said the IDF.
Children and students in daycares, kindergartens and schools will practice entering shelters during the drill. IDF bases, government offices and public institutions will conduct similar drills, noted the IDF.
