‘Do not test us’: Netanyahu warns Israel’s enemies during eastern border visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of a new barrier along Israel’s eastern border on Thursday, saying the project would bolster defenses against potential incursions.

Speaking near Kibbutz Masada in the Jordan Valley, Netanyahu said that the massive barrier was being built “from the Yarmouk to Eilat” and will be an “additional layer of security” to complement security zones in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip.

Accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior military officers, Netanyahu received a briefing on efforts to strengthen border security.

ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו ביקר היום (ה׳) במרחב המכשול החדש שמוקם בגבול המזרחי יחד עם שר הביטחון ישראל כ״ץ, ראש מנהלת גבולות ותפר, אלוף ערן אופיר, מפקד אוגדה 96, תא״ל אורן שמחה ומפקדים נוספים.

במהלך הביקור ראש הממשלה קיבל סקירה על המאמצים שנעשו ונעשים לעיבוי ההגנה בגבול ולחיזוק… pic.twitter.com/vv8CBAw6KO

— ראש ממשלת ישראל (@IsraeliPM_heb) October 15, 2026

“We are surrounding the State of Israel with a massive barrier, but it does not stand alone. There are forces here, there is an operational plan, there are plans to counter drones—I will not elaborate. Simply put, maximum protection so that we can defend Israel’s citizens and prevent anyone from even thinking about invading the State of Israel,” the premier said.

“A tremendous amount of work is being done here—enormous engineering work, enormous logistical work. The Israel Defense Forces are mobilized, and the reserves are mobilized. All this strength is meant to tell Israel’s enemies: Do not test us.”

Katz said the defensive measures are part of a proactive policy aimed at destroying enemies and removing threats, including those posed by Iran.

“What the prime minister showed here is an important component of the security plan, the defense plan—the security zones, the fence, the forces. But this only supplements the main element: a proactive offensive policy led by the prime minister, pursued by the State of Israel and the IDF, against distant Iran and nearby threats,” Katz said.

“First and foremost, going on the offensive, destroying the enemy, removing threats and, alongside that, providing strong protection for Israel’s citizens,” he added.