Israeli military prepares target bank in West Bank ahead of possible escalation

Smoke rises from vehicles belonging to Palestinians, set on fire by Israelis seizing Palestinian land under the protection of Israeli soldiers, in the village of Turmus Ayya near Ramallah, West Bank, on October 19, 2025. [Issam Rimawi – Anadolu Agency]

The Israeli air force has set up a ‘target bank’ in the occupied West Bank, close to the Jordanian border, in case of any future escalation, Hebrew media reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the air force is training for the first time on a hypothetical scenario to strike targets in settlements near the Jordanian border if an attack similar to 7 October 2023 were to happen. The exercise is described as part of lessons learned from the Hamas-led attack on 7 October.

The tactic aims to enable the air force to deliver heavy fire and carry out broad strikes even if central command collapses. Under the scenario, dozens of targets would be hit in the first hours of an expected attack, with hundreds of targets to follow later.

The air force estimates that by the end of the year it will be able, at the push of a button, to disrupt attacks on settlements and provide specific targets to some brigades.

READ: Israeli settlers launch coordinated attacks across West Bank under army protection

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