“Looking ahead, an incursion from the east is an emerging threat that we must prepare for,” Baram said.By World Israel News StaffIsrael’s Defense Ministry has launched a new government-wide initiative to strengthen the country’s eastern border, warning that the frontier has become one of Israel’s most significant security vulnerabilities and requires a comprehensive civilian and military response.Speaking at the inaugural forum of government ministry directors-general, Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram said the eastern border—Israel’s longest land frontier—had not received sufficient national attention for many years.“The eastern front, as Israel’s longest land border, is a security weak point,” Baram said. “Because this area was not a national priority for many years, addressing it now requires the full mobilization of government ministries and state authorities—not only to build border defenses, but also transportation, communities, and industry.”The newly established Eastern Region Directorate will coordinate Defense Ministry efforts with government agencies and local authorities as part of a long-term strategy to reinforce Israel’s eastern frontier.Officials outlined plans to establish approximately 40 new security communities stretching from Tzemach Junction in the north to the Eilot region near Eilat. The communities will be populated by armed civilian residents and are intended to strengthen Israel’s strategic presence along the border.Baram said that while Iran and its regional proxies have been significantly weakened during the war, Israel must prepare for future threats from the east.“Iran and its proxies’ plan to destroy Israel has been weakened throughout the war,” he said. “But looking ahead, an incursion from the east is an emerging threat that we must prepare for.”The warning comes a day after Israeli media reported that captured Hamas documents showed Yahya Sinwar had expected Hezbollah to launch a major offensive from Lebanon during the October 7, 2023, massacre and had spent years discussing broader multi-front invasion scenarios with Hezbollah.According to the documents, Sinwar viewed Jordan as a key future front, envisioning guerrilla forces infiltrating Israel from both Jordan and Syria in an effort to stretch Israeli defenses across multiple borders.Baram stressed that military preparations alone would not be sufficient, calling for major investments in transportation, energy, communications, industry, agriculture, healthcare, education, and housing to attract tens of thousands of new residents to the region.“We are investing substantial resources in building a multi-layered defense system along the border,” he said. “But that will not be enough. A complementary civilian effort is required to strengthen the region, and we cannot accomplish it without the full partnership of Israel’s government ministries.”The forum brought together senior officials from numerous government ministries, the Israel Electric Corporation, the Water Authority, the World Zionist Organization, the Defense Ministry, and the IDF division responsible for the eastern sector as Israel advances a long-term strategy to secure what officials increasingly view as one of the country’s most vulnerable frontiers.The post Israel launches initiative to strengthen eastern border against emerging threats appeared first on World Israel News.