The IDF’s new ‘Ghost Unit’ conducts an exercise. Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Office.

i24 News – The Israeli military kicked off a surprise four-day military exercise on Sunday morning, in which soldiers participated in a mock war scenario in the Gaza Strip.

The large-scale exercise comes as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck a number of Hamas targets overnight Sunday in the coastal enclave following a Gaza rocket attack.

The IDF said, however, that the war games were planned several weeks ago and were unrelated to recent events.

Four surprise training missions have already been organized since the appointment of Aviv Kochavi as Chief of Staff in January 2019.

Previous exercises included testing the military’s ability to handle a West Bank kidnapping; a war against Hezbollah in northern Israel; countering a massive cyberattack; and responding to maritime threats from the north.

“During the exercise, the [Gaza] division’s abilities to handle a variety of events while cooperating between branches of the military will be tested,” the IDF said in a statement.

According to the IDF, units of conscripts and reservists will participate in the exercise. Residents of the south should therefore expect to see troops, vehicles, and planes operating near the border with Gaza.

Although the Jewish state is in talks with the terrorist group Hamas to reach a long-term ceasefire agreement, recent weeks have seen an upsurge in attacks from Gaza.