Global Security Newswire

Israeli hospitals have spent three years preparing to treat the victims of enemy strikes involving missiles or chemical weapons, among other threats, the Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.

Readiness programs led by the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command are not connected to developing dangers in the region, where there are significant concerns about the status and potential use of Syria's large chemical arms stockpile, according to the report.

The Home Front Command has drilled hospital personnel on the response to various forms of attack, including those that hurt no fewer than 1,000 people.

“We train a lot for chemical weapons,” according to a command official. “This is our business, and only ours. There is no room for error.”

Exercises involving chemical arms events have been conducted at each of Israel's 27 hospitals. The facilities have no other way of preparing for such an incident "since we have no experience with this," the official said.