The commander of the Yahalam unit first referred to the detection of the threat from the Gaza Strip: "We were not surprised by it, for that we trained" • On the achievement: "It did not cross the underground barrier"
Commander of the Yahalam unit, on the left
Photography:
Report
"The engineering operation in the tunnel area will not end in a day or two. It will be a long operation," said the commander of the Special Forces Engineering Unit (Yahalam), Colonel M., a day after it was announced that the IDF had located dozens of offensive tunnels. Meters to Israeli territory and excavated at a depth of tens of meters underground.
The offensive tunnel was first discovered through the underground barrier, the construction of which is currently being completed.
This is Colonel M.'s first interview since taking office.
In the past, he served as the Commander of the Southern Command's Command Engineering at the time the patent was discovered for the discovery of tunnels, and was among those thanks to whom the division received the Israel Security Award on the subject of the underground.
Col. M. personally signed the discovery of many tunnels throughout his military service in his various positions, and he is considered one of the experts in the field.
On Monday, upon receiving the warning about the discovery of the tunnel excavated for Israel from the Khan Yunis area, Col. M. and his unit were jumped south, and he was personally appointed commander of the engineering operation in the area. Those who need to go south.
"We reached the area, made plans, coordinates, KFKs. We began to locate the tunnel through drilling," the officer noted.
"This is our 'money time' as a unit. Special unit fighters are doing a very long training course, and they are very excited. This is the first tunnel we have located since Operation Northern Shield about two years ago. We trained for that."
Photo: IDF Spokesman
Colonel M. was careful not to reveal any details about the new tunnel, its location, depth and findings inside. In response to a question, he clarified that so far only a camera has been inserted along the tunnel route. .
It will take a few more days until we understand its characteristics, "he clarified.
"So far I have not been surprised by the characteristics of this tunnel, but that does not mean I will not be surprised."
On the length of time required for the operation he noted: "There is a physics that cannot be changed. It takes time to drill, locating the tunnel depends on the type of ground."
"The mission - to explore a route"
In the coming days, Yahalam fighters are expected to continue exploring the tunnel and the special engineering operation taking place in the area. "Our first mission is to locate the route.
After locating the route - research it, and at the same time it should be disrupted and neutralized and a result that does not endanger anyone.
It is important to emphasize that even today the tunnel does not endanger anyone, because it has not passed the underground barrier.
"The most significant thing here is that there is an obstacle here, a system of obstacle that knows how to give an indication. This is the main issue for defense in Gaza," the officer said.
"If in the past commanders were asked about the barrier, they would have a hard time imagining it."
He added: "We will have more challenges in the underground and we are prepared for them."
