The Israeli army said on Sunday it kicked off a surprise drill along the Gaza Strip border.
The military exercise will run until Sunday night, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson said in a statement.
Xinhua reported that the unexpected drill comes nearly six months after Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip known as Operation Protective Edge last summer.
The drill combines air and ground forces and simulates different scenarios like infiltrations on border with the Gaza Strip and kidnapping attempts against Israelis. It also includes rocket fire on Israeli communities near the Gaza border.
The drill is "part of a range of activities that take place throughout the year to improve operational readiness in Gaza, and is designed to improve the IDF's competence," the statement added.