Israel conducts 'surprise' military drills in West Bank

Israeli occupation forces called up thousands of soldiers in a “surprise” training drill in the occupied West Bank, news reports said yesterday.

Israel said the exercise was to train soldiers in “different scenarios”, adding that it was planned in advance and was not connected to any current developments or security threat.

According to the Israeli media, the exercise will last at least two days.

About 13,000 reserve soldiers were told to be on alert though only 3,000 had to report for duty.

Israeli Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot was sworn in as the new Israeli military chief just days before the drills began.