Blackout: Israel drills for missile strikes on power grid

As threats from Iran intensify and concerns grow that Hezbollah could enter a wider conflict, Israel is preparing for scenarios in which its electricity infrastructure comes under direct attack. 

With tensions in the north at their highest levels in years, the Israel Electric Corporation is conducting emergency drills that simulate missile strikes on active power stations and the possibility of sudden, widespread blackouts.

The exercises include scenarios involving direct hits on power facilities, large-scale fires inside stations, and rescue operations carried out while under fire. 

Teams are trained to operate in unstable and dangerous environments, restoring electricity to critical systems such as hospitals, civilian communities, and security infrastructure even as threats persist.

Officials note that electricity facilities are a known strategic target in modern warfare, as damage to power systems can severely disrupt daily life and paralyze essential services. “An attack on the power grid is not just an infrastructure issue—it directly impacts the civilian population,” one official involved in the preparations said.

The drills are informed by past incidents. Last year, two workers were killed after a missile strike hit the Bazan industrial complex, an event that deeply affected Israel’s national infrastructure sector and underscored the risks faced by frontline civilian workers during conflict.

Security officials stress that the threat is not limited to power stations alone. A broader scenario involving widespread damage to civilian infrastructure is now considered part of Israel’s realistic threat assessment, rather than a hypothetical risk.

The message to the public, officials say, is one of preparedness. Early planning, coordination, and readiness on the home front could prove decisive—not only in restoring services, but in saving lives should a wider conflict erupt.