Since 2014, the Islamic terrorist group has been able to infiltrate Israel and attack its citizens through a series of fortified cross-border trenches that have been difficult to detect.
To combat this strategic weapon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) created an elite commando unit of the Combat Engineering Corps to specialize in underground warfare. The unit is called Yahalom, Hebrew for “diamond,” because of its ability to cut through the massive concrete entrenchments.
“The main challenge of underground warfare is that the enemy has no above-ground signature,” says Yahalom commander Colonel Yaron. “The fact that the enemy is hidden makes collecting intelligence complicated. They even destroy the foundations of their terror tunnels to harm the IDF soldiers inside, similar to the tactic used in Vietnam.”
Lt. Hezi has firsthand experience fighting inside of Hamas terror tunnels from Operation Protective Edge in 2014, the IDF campaign to stop the thousands of missiles Hamas fired at...
Become a Member
-
Read all member content
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel.
-
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel
Connect with Israel, right from your home.
-
Lift up the voice of truth and hope
Support Jerusalem-based Zionist journalism.
Already a member? Login here.
