Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited the northern border this morning, where he held a commanders' briefing to summarize an exercise of the 9th Brigade, led by Brigade Commander Colonel Roi Manis and Brigadier General Kobi Heller, commander of the Ground Forces Training Center.
The Defense Minister received a briefing on the brigade's activities in stopping terrorists and protecting communities on the northern border, and on the exercise simulating combat in Lebanese territory.
Gallant told the soldiers: "I am impressed by the determination, professionalism, and the dedication to the mission that has been going on here for almost a year – both in the north and in the south. The center of gravity is moving north, we are about to complete our tasks in the south, but we have here a mission that has not been carried out, and that mission is to change the security situation and bring the residents back to their homes."
"These instructions that you are waiting for here today, I gave in the south and I saw the forces operating. After three weeks from the 'go ahead' signal, they went ahead and carried out their mission. This will also happen here, and you need to be ready and prepared to carry out this mission."
He added: "We are finishing training all the units for a ground operation in all its aspects, from the platoon level to the command level. We are eady for action, we will know when to deploy. You will do everything you need to do."
"I have had soldiers who told me: 'You're just talking.' A week later I met them in the field. Be prepared, this is not like other missions. You have the full capacity to carry out the missions according to what you are training for. Thank you, thank you to the families who support you, and thank you to the commanders."