Katz urges IDF to ready for potential ‘Oct.7-style’ attack on West Bank settlements |
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday called for the military to be prepared for a potential mass attack on West Bank settlements “in the style” of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel from Gaza.
The warning from Katz came after he visited the West Bank and met with senior commanders, including Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, who earlier in the day declared the Israel Defense Forces must be ready for “a surprise war.”
“The baseline scenario we must prepare for is readiness for a surprise war,” Bluth said, according to the IDF. “We are required to maintain a high level of preparedness and alertness, while using the time to strengthen our professional foundations.”
Katz and Bluth did not provide further details on what prompted their warnings about the West Bank, where Palestinian terror attacks and settler violence have soared since the Hamas attack on Israel over two years ago. Unlike the Gaza Strip, which is currently split between Israeli and Hamas control, the IDF maintains military control over the West Bank and carries out near-daily counterterrorism operations there.
In a statement following his visit, Katz praised the IDF, Border Police and other security........