Air raid sirens brought normal activity in Israel to a halt temporarily on Tuesday morning as a week-long civil-defense drill dubbed “Turning Point 3” reached its climax.
Rescue and security forces practiced their respective responses to a simulated major attack on the Jewish state, while civilians were asked to participate by entering bomb shelters at their homes and places of work.
Several large office buildings and the Israeli Defense Ministry were evacuated in Tel Aviv.
Israeli defense officials expressed satisfaction with the response of both their own forces and the general public, but noted that the exercise did not go off without a hitch. In several areas, local residents said they did not hear the air raid siren, and at least a handful of bomb shelters were found to be inaccessible.
The drill is scheduled to last until Thursday.