With more than 2,200 active-duty Israeli soldiers under quarantine for COVID-19, the Israel Defense Forces has decided to call up dozens of reservists to help the Home Front Command deal with the challenges the virus outbreak has created.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit explained in a press release on Tuesday that “in line with an ongoing situation assessment, the IDF has decided to call up some 70 reservists to help prepare an information campaign for the IDF Home Front Command.”
The IDF spokesperson added that an additional 100 reservists had been called up over the past few days to bolster Magen David Adom, the nation’s official medical emergency agency.
As part of the army’s preparations for the next stages, the Home Front Command has been tapped to help contain the virus should the outbreak significantly deteriorate.
Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi ordered the complete cessation of flights abroad for soldiers and officers, and canceled all joint military exercises with foreign armies in Israel and abroad.
Additionally, the IDF is establishing a special command and control center to help all units contend with the virus. IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir was charged with overseeing these efforts.
“We will do what needs to be done to help the country. We canceled a joint exercise with the paratroopers and the American army, and the Juniper Cobra exercise. We recalled the IDF attaché from China. The remaining attachés will not be recalled for the time being,” said IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman.
This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.