The Defense Ministry was purchasing weapons and armament in the billions of Shekels in preparation for a multi-front war, officials said on Thursday, after some 3,000 tons of equipment was sent by land and sea in over 100 cargo planes and five ships, to provide for the military needs, after the Houthi rebels in Yemen joined in with missile fire on Eilat.
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About six billion shekels were already spent on purchases from Israel's defense industries and from foreign nations including bombs, missiles, drones, other armament as well as ambulances and medical supplies, some already put to use on the battle field but also to provide for the defense of the home front.
The Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technol
ogical Infrastructure in the Defense Ministry invested over three billion shekels in development of protective measure or in pushing up existing projects. 651 industrial facilities were diverted to the war effort and 57,000 essential workers were deployed under special conscription. In addition, thousands of trucks and cars were commandeered for military use.
The ministry's engineering wing was beginning its assessment of the damage to the border area communities effected in the Hamas attack and to the military bases overrun by the terrorists or involved in the fighting, ahead of planned rebuilding efforts. Some 100 construction companies were assigned, and 350 tons of materials prepared for infrastructure.
The Defense Ministry was also providing for 125,000 residents of the borders in the south and in the north, who were evacuated from their homes for their safety. "The mission of the ministry," CEO Eyal Zamir said, "was to provide the military with the time and space it needs to carry out its objectives."