Deputy Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Moshe Kaplinsky said Wednesday that that he does not believe the IDF will go to war with Syria this summer, contrary to past estimates.

"We believe, as I personally believe, we needn't expect a war with Syria this summer," Kaplinsky said at a meeting with military reporters in Tel Aviv on the first anniversary of the Second Lebanon War.

Kaplinsky added, however, that "we cannot ignore what we are seeing: a growing Iranian involvement in promoting regional instability, Syrian involvement in the rearming of the Hezbollah following the war in Lebanon, and the preparatory measures being taken by the Syrian army."

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The major general referred to intelligence supporting the IDF's belief that the Syrian army has been purchasing arms and conducting extensive training in preparation for a possible war with Israel. "As far as we know," he said, "these measures are being taken by the Syrian army defensively. However, the IDF is also stepping up its vigilance and preparedness."

"We are all concerned over the [possibility of] a miscalculation that could bring about escalation, that is why we are doing everything possible to make our intentions very clear to the Syrians, and to correctly decipher the Syrian moves."

Kaplinsky also spoke about Iran's nuclear program, which the Iranian leadership claims is peaceful, but many believe its goal to be nuclear armament. Iran's progress toward achieving nuclear capability is "a substantial change in the eyes of the entire world," he said. Israel's defense establishment is closely following Iran's progress with growing concern, he added.

The deputy chief of staff addressed the results of the Second Lebanon War, which the IDF waged against the militant group Hezbollah a year ago, saying "I took part in general staff operations before the war, and I even led some of them. I have no doubt mistakes were made, but they came alongside successes and achievement. Since [the war] we have undergone an unprecedented process of drawing conclusions which has raised the IDF up several levels in many respects."

According to Kaplinsky, the main failure the IDF identified as a result of the war was insufficient training of its troops. Rectifying this issue, Kaplinsky said, should be a top priority. Since the beginning of 2007, approximately half of the reserves units have already undergone training exercises, and the remaining half are expected to be summoned for training by the end of the year. Soldiers in compulsory service have all undergone training since the end of the war last summer.