A General Staff training workshop for the inauguration of the new training facility, the "Lebanon Facility," was held last week in the Golan Heights. The facility is designed to simulate combat conditions on the northern front.

The workshop was led by the National Ground Training Center in cooperation with the Commando School, engineering and armor battalions, reservists from Brigade 551, and the Air Force. Senior officials visited the site, including the Commander of the Ground Forces, Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, the Commander of the Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, and Brig. Gen. Eliad Moati.

The facility was established at the initiative of the Ministry of Defense, through the Borders and Seam Directorate and the Engineering and Construction Division, following an operational study that indicated the need for a complex tailored to combat in Lebanon. It enables combined training for infantry, armor, and engineering units, with live fire and in highly realistic indoor and outdoor settings.

The National Ground Training Center will operate the new facility through the Northern Training Center. Its purpose is to improve the readiness of forces for the northern arena.

At the event, Maj. Gen. Lotan said: "The IDF is regaining its fitness, the IDF is returning to training, alongside all the challenges it faces on every border, and certainly in the Gaza Strip. Many reservists are present here, and I say this also to the regular service soldiers who chose to advance, to become officers and company commanders -- but I want to dedicate this event to the reservists.

Reservists are the best of Israeli society. Reservists have long been -- before the war and certainly during the war -- absolutely equal to the regular forces, if not more so. And I say, this course, including the company and battalion commanders' course, is a nature reserve we preserve, to ensure that every reservist is fully prepared for his mission."