The Israeli navy completed maritime exercises this
week to defend one of the nation’s most important pieces
of energy infrastructure, the Leviathan gas field
platform, which terror groups like Hezbollah plan to
attack.
NEWS DESK | Israel's navy just wrapped up maritime
exercises to defend one of the country's most vital
economic assets — the Leviathan gas field platform.
Could Hezbollah pose a serious threat to its existence,
though? Our Daniel Tsemach has the story.
Story:
The IDF navy just wrapped up its most complicated
exercise in nearly 20 years.
They’re simulating an enemy attack on highly
coveted natural gas fields — the Israeli navy — an
exercise including missiles fired from four ships
simultaneously at an old cargo freighter acting as an
enemy vessel.
‘This type of exercise is crucial to the next
mission — in the IDF, in between military campaigns,
and of course in the next war as well,’ explains navy
drill commander Boris Schuster.
Israel's strategic waters and assets are of crucial
importance to the country's economy and to the
citizens' personal security.
Terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah have
threatened to strike the platforms in the past and
have even attempted to. The Israeli military has said
it knows both groups are trying to improve their
capabilities in order to strike them.
Nevertheless, Israel is moving forward with its
largest energy project in history. The same day the
drill came to a close, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval
Steinitz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived
at a newly inaugurated platform.
‘Completion of the Leviathan gas rig and gas flow
from this field later this year is a critical
component in Israel's strategic strength, in its
energy strength, its economic strength, its political
strength,’ Netanyahu proclaimed as the opening
ceremony.
But the process of utilizing the gas fields has not
been simple. Israel has come under fire from its
northern neighbor in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has its
stronghold, who suggests the fields are in its
territory.
Hezbollah has a weapons arsenal more advanced than
that of the Gaza-ruling Hamas group, and thus, Israel
fears that if Hezbollah uses the Russian-made Yakhont
shore-to-sea guided missile, it could strike one of
Israel's most vital assets.