Dvora in action
Photo: AP
IDF updates abduction alert to include navy
Military expands efforts to prevent possible abduction of troops, introduces 'Hannibal Protocol' to navy in case of maritime attack on IDF vessels
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz ordered the military's Hannibal Protocol expanded to include Israel's naval forces, Ynet learned on Monday.
The Hannibal Protocol, first introduced in the late 1980s, is designed to prevent soldiers from being kidnapped by enemy forces and effectively allows commanders to take any action necessary to foil such abduction attempts. The Hannibal Protocol is part of the daily security briefing given to all Ground Forces.
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The order was issued over concerns that terrorists might try to target IDF vessels, especially the smaller Dvora ("Bee") class patrol boats, which operate nonstop along Israel's coastline .
One maritime abductions scenario suggests that the terrorists might try to create a diversion that would make the Dvora sail close enough to their boat for them to open fire and possibly try to board it and abduct its crew.
Another scenario included missile fire at the vessel, in an attempt to disable it.
As part of the IDF's efforts to thwart such marine attacks, the Military Industries and the INF are currently developing an advanced missile defense system, similar to the Ground Forces' Windbreaker.
Over the past few months, INF forces have also been trained in riot control, as detailed by procedures introduced during last summer's Operation Summer Seeds, whose purpose was to prepare the troops for the possibility of confrontations with Palestinians following the Palestinian Authority's bid in the UN.
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