Israeli Chief of Staff says Israel must always be war-ready

Israeli Chief of Staff Benny Gantz declared that the Israeli military was working tirelessly to ensure enemy forces never surprise Israel again. He explained his operational doctrine, which is based on the concept to always be war-ready. "We've taken this approach and traslated it into an operational doctrine of readiness and alertness. It is what dictates our daily fight against tenacious threats," he said in an interview with Israeli daily Yedihot Ahronot.

He said that the Israeli army was constantly developing its adaptability to changes dictated by the challenges it faces. "We can never grow accustomed to any operational concept and we must always study given situations further and adapt to regional changes," he added.

He expressed hope Israel would not find itself once more taken by surprise by an "enemy" army. "This is why we must continue to cultivate our military superiority and the Israeli army must always be at the top of its game," he explored. "The army, and me as its chief, work tirelessly to ensure that we are not surprised again. That's our job. That's been our mission since the state's inception."

"Every commander must remember that his troops are counting on him," he said, when asked what army officers should remember in general. "Those of us who wear uniforms are obligated to make sure we are never again surprised in such a manner," he added.