Paratroopers Brigade conducts large-scale drill in Golan
Amid IDF assessments regarding threats on the border with the Syrian Golan, the Paratroopers Brigade conducted a large-scale exercise simulating an operation against ISIS-aligned terrorist organizations and Hezbollah; Drills included raids on terrorist concentration centers in Syrian villages, destruction of weapon caches and seizure of enemy territory.
The exercise was carried out following an IDF assessment that the most likely threat facing the area is a massive terrorist infiltration or heavy rocket bombardment of Israeli communities, which could result in a significant loss of life. In such a scenario, the IDF will be required to conduct an unprecedented, yet limited operation across the border. Such an operation would likely resemble the raids in the Gaza Strip in the two years following the 2005 disengagement.
Drills included rapid raids on terrorist heavily concentrated in Syrian villages, the destruction of weapon caches and the seizure of enemy territory.
The Golan Division has conducted similar training exercises in the past three years with reserve battalions. According to the assessment, any such large-scale activity in response to an attack will require regular forces capable of operating on extremely short notice.
Commenting on the military rehearsal, a senior officer in the Paratroopers Brigade told Ynet, "Here, the story is fighting against global Jihad organizations in Syria which utilize guerilla tactics. We not only need to practice how to fight them, but under what circumstances we will need to fight them, whether it be the result of a strategic decision or a response to an action they carried out. We understand how conflicts develop in Gaza and we understand the history in Lebanon. Here, we are trying to understand the changes and mobility in all these organizations. They change extremely quickly. They are fast, flexible, utilize new weapons and tactics and are constantly changing allegiances."
The drill also simulated an exchange of fire with tanks from the 7th Brigade in order to prepare for engagements with Jihadis, whose primary weapons include improvised explosive devices, long range anti-tank missiles, mortars, small arms and machine guns. "Within three hours the battalion needs to secure enemy territory to stop fighters from escaping in pick-up trucks. Therefore, our order of battle is extremely short," the officer added.
As for intelligence on the Jihadist groups operating in the Golan, the officer told Ynet, "I'm impressed we don't know as much about them as we do about Hamas or Hezbollah. They are much less entrenched in the ground. Hamas and Hezbollah have dug themselves in. Jihadist organizations are in one village today and another village tomorrow. They don't have command and control like Hamas or Hezbollah and they don't protect villages."
Further training will culminate next week in a brigade parachute exercise which will demonstrate the depth which the brigade is capable of penetrating in enemy territory during a large-scale operation. The drill is supposed to simulate a situation in which the IDF operates inside Lebanon following Hezbollah entering the fray and opening a second front against Israel. The Shiite organization has downshifted in the past year in its attempts to gain territory in the Golan near Israel. However, they utilize consultants and trainers for Assad's regime forces, who are seeking to regain control of the border with Israel.
