Homefront drill
Homefront drillIsrael news photo: IDF

Israel is planning a huge emergency drill for next week amid speculation and fears that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will order a unilateral strike on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities.

The drill tests the country’s ability to cope with an earthquake, and assumes hypothetical mass casualties of 7,000 dead, 70,000 wounded and 170,000 without a home.

The drill will also include a scenario simulating a toxic chemical leak at the northern coastal port in Haifa. This is the first time a Home Front drill has dealt with a natural disaster scenario as opposed to a war scenario.

"The drill is designed to improve preparations for an earthquake, but will also prepare the public and ministries for other emergency scenarios," Home Front Commander Eyal Eisenberg said during a press conference.

On Sunday, October 21, Israeli schools will carry out an earthquake drill during the day. At 7 P.M., television and radio channels will broadcast details for an additional phase of the drill, including protocol for earthquakes.

The Home Front Command recently made changes to its earthquake instructions, calling on people to enter open areas rather than stay indoors in the event of an emergency. Buses will stop but passengers must stay inside of them. Beaches also must be emptied of people in the event of a tsunami.

Another drill, dubbed Austere Challenge 12, in conjunction with the United States Army, is also scheduled to take place next week, according to one source.

Meanwhile, Tehran is allegedly moving its nuclear facilities into subterranean bunkers deep beneath mountains, which puts them beyond the reach of conventional weapons. Israel also lives under the threat of Iranian proxy terrorist group Hizbullah, based in southern Lebanon. 

The aircraft that entered Israeli airspace last week and was shot down was operated by Hizbullah, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday.

Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries have been installed close to the northern city of Haifa since last week’s incident, according to Sky News.