The Israeli military launched an unannounced readiness exercise near the Lebanese border on Monday, one day after assassinating Hezbollah’s chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in a strike on Beirut. Tabatabai, regarded as Hezbollah’s second-in-command and the official overseeing the group’s military apparatus, was killed in a targeted airstrike on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital. His death marks the most senior Hezbollah loss since a November 2024 ceasefire intended to halt more than a year of cross-border hostilities.

The Israel Defense Forces said the drill, known as “Shield and Might,” had been scheduled in advance and was not launched in direct response to the assassination. The exercise began early Monday and will run for two days to “assess and improve the IDF’s readiness for a variety of scenarios.” Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered commanders to open the drill with a surprise readiness test for the 210th Division, the unit responsible for the Golan Heights and the Mount Dov sector along the Lebanese and Syrian borders.

According to the military, the snap inspection aims to evaluate how the division would respond to a suddenly escalating incident. Throughout the drill, residents in the Golan Heights and surrounding areas should expect heavy troop movements and may hear explosions, aircraft, and other activity associated with the exercise.

Despite the drill’s pre-planned nature, the Israeli military has elevated its alert level along the Lebanese frontier amid concerns that Hezbollah could exploit winter fog, rain, and reduced visibility to attempt an attack. Military officials cited by The Times of Israel said the Israeli Air Force has reinforced air defenses in northern Israel to prepare for possible rocket fire from Lebanon, though they stressed there is no specific intelligence indicating an imminent barrage. The Home Front Command has issued no new guidance for civilians.

Tabatabai’s killing has intensified fears of retaliation from Hezbollah, whose leadership has been under mounting strain since the last war with Israel and the loss of its supply routes through Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December. Speaking to the Saudi-based Al-Hadath network, an Israeli security official warned that a few days of intensive fighting could substantially weaken the group for years. The official argued that the Lebanese government has shown no willingness to enforce its pledge to disarm Hezbollah and cautioned that Israel “will not sit and wait,” adding that without firm action by year’s end, the group could attempt a surprise strike.

As part of Monday’s exercise, Zamir visited the 210th Division to review troops’ performance and receive updates on the army’s posture along the Lebanese border following Tabatabai’s assassination. The Israeli army said the drill will examine decision-making processes at all levels and test the activation, deployment, and management of forces in rapidly evolving battlefield scenarios.