With tensions high between the United States and Iran, the Israel Navy is prepared for any threat posed by Iran’s terror proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah.
While Israel has remained officially mum on the war of words between Tehran and Washington, the IDF is well aware of the strategic threat a war between the two foes could pose to the Jewish state.
“In every war the sea will be involved,” a senior navy officer told The Jerusalem Post. “If there is war tomorrow, the navy is ready. Our readiness is high at all times.”
The sea, he said “is an open theater where there are no borders but which every enemy wants to win. We have to be superior. We protect our borders where there are no walls, but there are multiple enemies.”
As the navy increases in importance, especially in regard to protecting the country’s coastline from waterborne threats as well as providing protection to the country’s gas fields and shipping lanes, interest in the Naval Officer’s Course has grown.
Israel is highly dependent on the sea with more than 90% of Israel’s imports arriving via the sea, and while the country’s navy is relatively small compared to other IDF corps, it has a significant amount of territory to protect since the expansion of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from 40 miles to 150 miles from shore years ago.
Senior naval officials have stated that Hezbollah has the ability to strike any spot in Israeli waters, including Israel’s natural gas drilling rigs which supply around 60% (and soon 75%) of Israel’s electricity.
“We live on an island. Our economy, natural resources, security are that of an island, dependent on the sea,” the senior officer said, adding that the navy sees the same sorts of threats that are on land at sea.
At almost two and a half years long, the IDF’s Naval Officer’s Course is one of the most intensive programs in the military. According to army figures, more than 2,000 candidates apply with only 90 passing the initial tests and only 5.5% of the candidates who applied to the course graduate.
While Israel has remained officially mum on the war of words between Tehran and Washington, the IDF is well aware of the strategic threat a war between the two foes could pose to the Jewish state.
“In every war the sea will be involved,” a senior navy officer told The Jerusalem Post. “If there is war tomorrow, the navy is ready. Our readiness is high at all times.”
The sea, he said “is an open theater where there are no borders but which every enemy wants to win. We have to be superior. We protect our borders where there are no walls, but there are multiple enemies.”
As the navy increases in importance, especially in regard to protecting the country’s coastline from waterborne threats as well as providing protection to the country’s gas fields and shipping lanes, interest in the Naval Officer’s Course has grown.
Israel is highly dependent on the sea with more than 90% of Israel’s imports arriving via the sea, and while the country’s navy is relatively small compared to other IDF corps, it has a significant amount of territory to protect since the expansion of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from 40 miles to 150 miles from shore years ago.
Senior naval officials have stated that Hezbollah has the ability to strike any spot in Israeli waters, including Israel’s natural gas drilling rigs which supply around 60% (and soon 75%) of Israel’s electricity.
“We live on an island. Our economy, natural resources, security are that of an island, dependent on the sea,” the senior officer said, adding that the navy sees the same sorts of threats that are on land at sea.
At almost two and a half years long, the IDF’s Naval Officer’s Course is one of the most intensive programs in the military. According to army figures, more than 2,000 candidates apply with only 90 passing the initial tests and only 5.5% of the candidates who applied to the course graduate.
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