The Yahalom Unit’s Operations During the War Against Hamas

Since the tragic events of October 7, the soldiers and commanders of the Yahalom unit have been operating restlessly. Throughout their 16-month-long training period, they acquire skills that have proven essential during these challenging times, including clearing minefields, locating and neutralizing explosives, conducting underground tunnel warfare and controlled detonations and using some of the IDF’s most advanced technology to clear routes for forces to operate within Gaza.

On the morning of October 7, many of the unit’s teams were dispatched to southern Israel.

As part of their brutal tactics, Hamas terrorists left behind hidden explosives in vehicles and in the fields in the area of the Nova Music Festival Massacre. The terrorists planned for the explosives to detonate when IDF rescue forces cleared the areas and retrieved the bodies of murdered civilians. In Israel’s southern towns, many explosives were left in the vests of eliminated terrorists and countless sensitive grenades were found on the streets and in homes.

Fearlessly, Yahalom teams searched the areas for explosives and neutralized them, ensuring the forces in the field would not be harmed by spontaneous explosions and could safely retrieve all injured and murdered civilians and personnel. 

One case stood out, in which a pink school bag was found in a field close to the Nova Music festival, containing dangerous explosives. Yahalom forces were able to prevent the explosives from detonating, thereby saving lives.

Another imminent threat the IDF is facing during the current war is underground warfare. Hamas operatives are known to use tunnels to maneuver discreetly, invade Israel, transport and store weapons and plan their attacks. All Yahalom soldiers and a specialized team within each of the IDF’s reconnaissance battalions are trained to conduct combat operations within terrorist tunnels. They are trained in specially built tunnel simulators constructed based on real-life attack tunnels used by Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists during their attempts to invade Israel from Lebanon and Gaza throughout the years.

Finally, Yahalom is also responsible for clearing safe routes for our forces to advance into battle. Oftentimes, the Hamas terrorist organization will rig different roads and paths with explosives, which pose a life-threatening risk not only to our soldiers but also to Gazans, who can easily be harmed by the explosions. Our Combat Egineerig forces will be the ones to come in using engineering tools and heavy armored vehicles such as our infamous D9, neutralizing the explosives and clearing a safe path for our forces to advance forward.

After Hamas’ brutal attack on October 7, the Yahalom Unit’s incredible capabilities are required now more than ever. The unit’s soldiers are extremely motivated and their morale is high. Each and every one of the unit's active-duty soldiers and reservists is ready to be part of the effort to eliminate Hamas, thereby restoring the safety of both Israeli and Gazan civilians.