As Americans prepare for the start of the summer holiday this Memorial Day weekend, Israelis are preparing for the possibility of war.
At 11:00 a.m. local time this past Wednesday, air raid sirens sounded throughout Israel. The sirens were part of a four-day nationwide exercise designed to prepare the country for an incoming missile attack.
The Israel Defense Forces called the drill "Turning Point 4," and it marked one of the most ambitious and wide-ranging home front exercises in the nation's history.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned it was "only a drill," but the country knows the threat of war is increasing, and any future war will most likely involve missile attacks.
Many Israelis have already experienced these kinds of missile barrages firsthand.
During the 2006 Second Lebanon War, northern Israel was bombarded with nearly 4,000 rockets, which struck as far south as Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee.
Before and during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, southern Israel experienced missile attacks as far north as Ashkelon and Ashdod.
Now intelligence experts warn the most populated part of the country - called the Gush Dan - might be hit hard during the next conflict.
Israel's enemies - Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria - have invested heavily in the quantity and quality of their rocket technology, and many of them can now reach central Israel.
David Horowitz of The Jerusalem Post stated the following:
Where exactly might enemy missiles be headed? The facts are simple and stark. As recently as four years ago, Syria had perhaps 330 missiles capable of hitting Tel Aviv, Hezbollah had fewer than two dozen, Iran maybe 50 and there were none in Gaza. By last year, Syria's arsenal of missiles capable of reaching the Gush Dan area had soared to 1,300, Hezbollah's to 800, Iran's to 300 and even Hamas in Gaza had a handful. And now? Today, Syria has an estimated 2,300 missiles that can hit Tel Aviv, Hezbollah has 1,200, Iran 400 and Hamas in Gaza has dozens ....
No one knows when a war might erupt between Israel and its enemies who have vowed to destroy the Jewish state. It could be this summer or might be delayed months, even years.
One thing seems certain though: War seems inevitable here in the Middle East. One more reminder to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" as the Psalmist declared. In times like these, we find the most powerful words of comfort in these words:
"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:1-4)