Israel is reinforcing troop levels across all fronts amid a growing risk of escalation as the country approaches elections later this month. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir made the announcement on Wednesday during a visit to the occupied West Bank.
He stated that the potential for border incidents had grown because of the upcoming electoral period. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tight race to stay in power in the October 27 poll.
An Israeli military statement quoted Zamir on the security situation. He pointed to the increased number of alerts across all fronts and the sensitivity of the current period.
The military has raised its level of readiness to prepare for scenarios involving surprise attempts by adversaries. Zamir urged vigilance during his visit.
He said the armed forces stood ready to launch extensive offensive operations. This action would target anyone who attempts to harm Israeli civilians.
The military moves come as Israel recently marked the third anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas. In that assault, Islamist militant fighters stormed into Israel using pickup trucks and paragliders, opening fire at sites including a music festival.
In Gaza, a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect a year ago. The Israeli army currently controls more than 60 percent of the devastated Palestinian territory, and military strikes are ongoing.
Violence has decreased in southern Lebanon following a framework agreement between the Lebanese government and Israel. That agreement includes the disarmament of Hezbollah, though implementation of the deal has stalled.
Israel has also faced incoming fire from Iran during the broader Middle East war. The conflict began in February with US-Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic.
