In different arenas and increased pressure: the soldiers who are behind the IDF strikes in Syria and Gaza - voila! News

The time was 02:30 in the morning, hours after the heavy barrages launched towards the Western Galilee.

Heavy clouds covered the sky and a wind blew that caused instability in the "Shuval", the remotely manned aircraft (KTM) that has become the "workhorse" of the Air Force in recent years. It gathers intelligence, attacks terrorist targets, solves mysteries and performs complex remotely operated operations Deep in enemy territory and in the heart of the sea.

Just as the "Shubel" crossed the skies of southern Lebanon in search of an unusual occurrence on the ground by Hezbollah and Hamas operatives, due to fear of launches, the phone rang in the operating trailer. Red is the color of red,'' which she repeated this week in an interview with Vala! First lieutenant, operator as a pilot, 22-year-old pilot whose name must not be mentioned.

"We were given a landmark on the launches from Syrian territory and we understood that it was going to attack the rocket launchers."

Lieutenant A., an instructor at the Air Force's helicopter operator school, who received an emergency assignment in one of the corps' squadrons, had previously attacked in enemy territory. In the interview, she continued to describe, step by step, the events of that tense night: The second launch is in front of us.

We saw the rocket on the screen followed by the third rocket, just as if we were standing on the spot.

We saw this launch very clearly.

Then the entire operation of the attack was organized in the conference call."

"After the attack in Tel Aviv I really felt a mission."

First Lieutenant (Photo: IDF Spokesman)

According to the first lieutenant, the biggest challenge is not only crossing from southern Lebanon to Syria and an area saturated with surface-to-air missile batteries that threaten all the aircraft in the air force, but also accurately locating launchers hidden in an olive grove and controlling the drone despite weather conditions - and all Quickly. "Flying in a threatened space is the first and most significant complexity," she explained. "It requires us to be really precise and comprehensive in our execution.

In the morning we already saw Syrian farmers arriving there with a tractor."

"We are all aware of the tension and everything that is happening in all the sectors these days, and we are also briefed about it in the squadron.

It's not really a surprise out of nowhere, but when it happens you have to operate from zero to a hundred, that's what we prepare for and do," continued First Lieutenant. "That night I attacked four launchers because we were the only plane there - it's a sector we don't work in very often, no We get to fly a lot in the area and it was special."

Regarding the vigilance after the terrorism that broke out throughout the country, Lieutenant A said: "After the attack in Tel Aviv I really felt a mission, it's not every day you get to do something where you really feel the meaning of the job. I was happy to participate in something significant, especially on days like this. My family knows that I exercise As a TMM, they don't know what I'm doing, they just notice that I've been disappearing from them for the past few days.

But they don't know specifically."

"At any given moment there is an armed tank in the air"

The commander of the helicopter squadron, the 38-year-old Lt. Col. E., who these days is under a lot of pressure, due to the many hot arenas, joined the conversation and said at the beginning of his words: "What characterizes this formation is 24/7 activity, versatility, flexibility to move between Missions, whether it's in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, the North, and in our case it's also in the naval arena, the maritime patrol mission - this is what a standard week looks like."

"What's different in the last few weeks is the sense of explosiveness - usually you go up to a specific mission, you know from a briefing what the limits of its sector are," explained Lt. Col. and directed during the mission to the border of Lebanon.

After that we were also in Syria when they did not expect it.

The teams make adjustments in the air, this feeling that at any moment an event can happen, that you don't necessarily know how it will end, so that's mainly what's different in the last two weeks."

"The mentality of a mission in Syria is also not similar to the mentality of Judea and Samaria, where you work with the Shin Bet and with forces that can reach targets by land," the squadron commander emphasized. The American about two months ago.

She has to switch between tasks, and that requires her to make adjustments.

The threat in Syria is much greater, and it is important to understand that at any given moment there is an armed tank in the air - this is how the army is prepared."

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To the full article

"The mentality of a mission in Syria is also not similar to the mentality of Judea and Samaria."

KAT operators in action (photo: IDF spokesperson)

Following the escalation in all sectors, the squadron is under load.

According to Lt. Col. E., "We entered Passover after a period that was already very tense, and in the end making this transition during the holiday creates challenges.

The squadrons rely heavily on reserve power, and servicemen have canceled plans to attend.

The squadron is currently operating at 70% strength."

"We will all be quite focused on what is happening in the north.

I think the challenge in the routine is that we want to close every night on zero rockets, and when the goal of the mission is prevention it becomes more complex.

My teams that are running now get a full envelope, so they don't feel the rabbi.

I think a war would make it simpler, because it would change the proportions and help us focus on one arena.”

"The threat is known in general - we adapt our flight areas against it, develop capabilities that allow us to work outside of the threat. We use the TCM to prevent pilots from falling into captivity or failing, it's part of our toolbox.

We don't take unnecessary risks and there is a meaning to every such tool, but that's part of the point.

to operate as a TMM that will allow us to maintain freedom of action at a risk that is absolutely reasonable."

"What we have experienced in the last few weeks is also a transition between arenas."

Operator as a TMM in action (photo: IDF spokesperson)

Did you have any reluctance in the squadron and how did you deal with the atmosphere of protest in Israeli society?

"I will say this in the most open way possible, I think the challenge here at the squadron level was to try to differentiate the squadron from the atmosphere from the attempt to create categories. That is, to say that all the reserves are like this or the entire air force is like this was inaccurate and it was difficult to identify how you are doing. We were very focused on how we are doing In the squadron, it's a very intimate relationship, it's no different from the routine, where there are reservists who are in a test period or busy at work - we know how to make the adjustments, we were not in a situation different from a routine situation. Most of the squadron's members were fully prepared, we did not find ourselves not standing up to the activity operationally, or make too large adjustments in the squadron's plan. There were those who were more committed to the protest - it was at the level of 'recognize this day and this is me at the demonstrations, so this week I will have a hard time getting to the reserves.'"

"No. I really wasn't angry."

From my perspective, as a squadron commander for almost three years, I compare it to Corona.

There is something big going on in the country here, which affects everyone in a different way.

In Corona, I would receive a call from a reservist who told me, 'My child was exposed to Corona, so I can't come that day because my wife has to go to work.'"

"No, there was nothing organized.

It was a very intimate conversation and people made sure to update.

Even if they come in contact with the media, make sure to update beforehand, and explain how it was." Have

"At the moment it's not with us. As the warm-up started I sent an update to the squadron group that we need availability from the people, within half an hour all the squadron members sent a message that we'll just say when - and they're coming, it's very nice to see that. As someone who has been in this organization for 20 years, I have experienced several wars and operations, in the end being in the squadron or the Air Force and not being alert, is not understanding your place and your situation. People are connected, committed. The squadron is also constantly doing processes to build itself - we did a readiness and competence audit a few months ago, we have a big exercise After the holidays, you are constantly busy preparing yourself for the war and seeing that you are up-to-date and relevant in the MBM (campaign between the wars).

So the vigilance is high, but I wouldn't switch with the other side."

"In Operation Wall Guard, we encountered both the Gaza Strip and the interior scene, and we, as a squadron, experienced several other hidden UAV activities along the way.

It exists, there is really no difference, the difference is in the echo.

I think the national resilience is very influential.

I think it is impossible to separate what has happened in the last few weeks in the country from the feeling of how much energy the people have to absorb and how much they are disturbed.

There is really no difference between what was a year or two ago, but when you feel that everything around you is in the earthquake, then every little thing has an effect that is sometimes bigger than you usually perceive."

"The threat is known in general - we are adjusting our flight areas against it," the commander of the anti-aircraft missile squadron (photo: IDF spokesperson)

During the conversation, it was very important for the squadron commander to emphasize the contribution of the ground crews and the technical setup, who support the squadron and enable it to operate around the clock.

Therefore, the technical officer, 26-year-old Major General Lior, who was responsible on the night of the attack to assist in the takeoff of the Shuval, despite the malfunctions that were discovered just before the flight, joined the interview. He said. When nothing happens it can affect the level of morale and motivation of the soldiers, my job is to tell them, 'guys, something happens in the Middle East not every day', but in terms of readiness, we are the best squadron in the corps. Alert, ready for anything, punctual. The soldiers are beginning to understand more."

"In general?

Confirmed.

You realize that you get up to work with a purpose, you have a smile on your face.

You are doing something for the protection of the homeland and the country."

pilots ?

I know and believe in what I do, and they themselves understand that politics was never part of the army.

Two, they understand that the purpose of the squadron is to keep the State of Israel intact and existing."

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"Attack the launchers, destroy them and get out"

Away from the drone squadron, the intelligence and precision of the attack was managed by the soldiers of the fire center of Division 210. The commander of the fire center, Lt. Col. R., said that "our challenge at a moment like this is to locate the launch site, seize it in all weather conditions, and make it Let them attack him precisely and with the right intensity. We are available 24/7 and connect the intelligence and the operation to heaven and earth."

"We quickly identified the launch area, produced accurate intelligence as expected of us, and connected the relevant tools for the attack. In this case the drone, but it could also be fire from the ground and everything is under our command.

We need to be very fast with maximum power, so as not to lose the momentum so that they don't launch again or fold the site.

All this inside an enemy country at a relatively large distance from the border - they attack the launchers, destroy them and get out."

"We responded to the enemy as his reward and signaled to the Syrian regime that this is his sole responsibility, and any weed that pops up - we will know very quickly to weed it out. We expressed our power in the mission in a very beautiful way. I brought the children for a trip to the area, and I told them that this is Zionism. A few hours ago, father It was the one that was valid and today we are here, traveling, and the trip is like establishing a settlement, and like plowing the land. It is national resilience. We carried out the mission joined hand in hand and of course looking to a better future, we want to fortify our security."

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