Several months after Operation Guardian of the Walls, the border between Israel and Gaza remains calm but tense. However, the soldiers know that everything can change in moments, with the deadly battle once again between the two sides.
“It’s calm at the moment, but that could all change very quickly,” said Major Yair Ben David, operations officer in Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade. “But our hands are on the pulse and watching the enemy, who is always looking for ways to kill us.”
Hundreds of soldiers and some 50-60 reservists trained in the northern region of the strip in a two-day brigade-level drill last week. Soldiers came from the Paratroopers Brigade, Armored Corps, Military Intelligence, and more.
Prior to the start of the drill, Ben David and his fellow officers set their expectations for the drill conducted by the Gaza Division, and saw the integration of multi-dimensional maneuvering and various new capabilities.
The IDF conducted extensive drills to prepare for the next round of conflict with Gaza(Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
CPT (Res.) Y, the fire support officer in the Northern Brigade, lives in the area and took part in a “really important drill”.
Responsible for all artillery and precision firepower in the brigade during the drill, explained Wai Jerusalem Post That the army has got new weapons and other weapons.
“It’s crazy how technology has advanced. IDF’s capabilities and intelligence have grown… We have extraordinary strength to deter threats coming from Gaza.”
Pinpoint.
The coastal enclave simulated various threats posed by terrorist groups, including a multi-event scenario involving rocket fire toward the home front and closing the circle against a rocket-launching cell.
“A lot of intelligence was gathered during Operation Guardian of the Walls, which helped us understand how Hamas acted during the fighting, and we learned a lot from the conflict as well,” Ben David said.
One lesson, he said, is not allowing civilians into areas that could be threatened by rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank guided missiles.
During the Battle of May, a civilian jeep was hit by an ATGM and a soldier, Staff Sergeant. Omar Tabib was killed when an ATGM rammed a military jeep near the community of Native Hasra.
Civilians living in the Gaza envelope were also killed and wounded during the 11-day battle of more than 4,000 rockets and mortars fired by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
“The brigade is responsible for protecting many communities along the border,” said Ben David, adding that soldiers are also able to defend communities and cities far from the strip should they be threatened.
“We can close the circle of terrorists fast,” he said. “We have aerial platforms and intelligence that can detect and destroy threats like a rocket-fired cell.”
As someone who is “very tied” to the communities of the Gaza envelope, Cpt. Wai said he was called in during the Battle of May and felt the operation was personal.
“I was protecting my family. During the fight, sirens were sounding in all communities and I was always thinking about my family… that they might be at greater risk than me – or that I stopped a threat that could have been targeted where they used to live. It was really personal. “
This drill from last week not only looked at threats similar to those seen in May, but also at additional war-time scenarios that soldiers hadn’t expected.
“We were challenged,” Cpt. Y said. “We learned a lot.”
Despite the relatively calm that the South has seen since the end of the May operation, dozens of incendiary and explosive balloons have been launched towards southern Israel. In return, Israeli forces have attacked Hamas positions in Gaza.
He was shot in the head at point-blank range by a Palestinian who succumbed to his wounds nine days later through a gap in the border barrier.
The Palestinian terrorist, though initially believed to be a member of Hamas, was identified by Ynet News on Thursday as a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He has reportedly been released from protective custody by the Gaza terrorist group.
While there have been no riots or ballooning since the violence that claimed the life of Samueli, Hamas is not resting.
“The enemy is getting ready for the next round and is always trying to test our forces,” said Ben David. “Despite the silence, we know that Hamas does not want to sit down with us for coffee. The enemy is learning and getting ready for the next round. But the IDF is ready for any kind of threat.