Wave breakers: An inside look into Israel's elite amphibious commandos

Never before seen tools of war and first-hand documentation of Shayetet 13's operational activities; Photographer Ziv Koren has been accompanying the elite unit for the past year as they took over foreign vessels and covertly operated behind enemy lines
Ziv Koren|Updated:

Men of silence

Unit operators undergo an intensive training routine that includes shooting, diving, vessel operations, physical and mental fortitude exercises, parachuting, attacking maneuvers and subterfuge.
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Often working closely with other Israeli Navy units, they have also been known to collaborate with their foreign equivalents.
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Men of silence
Men of silence
Men of silence
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Jumping into the abyss

Shayetet 13 (Literally meaning "Flotilla 13") is one of four major elite IDF units that specialize in counter-terrorism amphibious warfare. They mostly use naval vessels to reach their objective without alerting enemy forces and are additionally well-trained in aerial raids as well, parachuting from helicopters.
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Jumping in, fins and all
Jumping in, fins and all
Jumping in, fins and all
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Stormy seas

Shayetet's operations are not exposed to public scrutiny and occur during skirmishes in-between wars. In the past 13 years, the unit has received five commendations for a series of bold-yet-covert operations outside of Israeli borders which have contributed greatly to the security of the State of Israel, but shall remain unspecified.
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Israeli equivalent of Navy Seals
Israeli equivalent of Navy Seals
Israeli equivalent of Navy SEALs
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Maritime raids

Commandeering a hostile ship, often hundreds of miles from Israeli shores, is one of the key types of operations that the unit specializes in. These types of missions usually involve hostage recoveries or counter-terrorism operations. A good example would be the Karine A freighter, intercepted with 50 tons of weapons and explosives onboard.
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Patrolling the waters
Patrolling the waters
Patrolling the waters
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Boots on the ground

Not simply settling for maritime operations, the unit is additionally involved in ground incursions. For the past few months, they've been partaking in terrorist-apprehension raids across the West Bank.
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Operators during a land raid
Operators during a land raid
Operators during a land raid
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

The cold and damp

When selection ends, operators are divided into dedicated teams, each specializing in one of three disciplines: Diving, Navigation and Raiding. Divers embark on Guerilla warfare and underwater offensive operations, being able to reach any port, quite literally under the radar.
Raiders are comprised of small, tactical squads that are fitted with specialized weaponry.
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Scaling aboard enemy vessel
Scaling aboard enemy vessel
Scaling aboard enemy vessel
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Lions and bats

The unit motto is "As the bat emerges from the darkness, as the blade cuts through with silence, as the grenade smashes in rage". That motto inspired a training regime that requires immense physical and mental stamina. Operators participate in many international exercises, some alongside U.S Navy SEALs.
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Commandeering a vessel from the inside
Commandeering a vessel from the inside
Commandeering a vessel from the inside
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Under fire extractions

Shayetet operators are trained in off-plane parachuting and rappelling from helicopters into urban areas, often to extract hostages in a creative, quick-thinking manner that will end the event as quickly as possible.
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CQC operations in tight spaces
CQC operations in tight spaces
CQC operations in tight spaces
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Sea Stars

Shayetet utilizes a variety of vessels that widen the range of operations available to unit soldiers in an underwater environment.
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Rappelling from a helicopter
Rappelling from a helicopter
Rappelling from a helicopter
(Photo: Ziv Koren)

Peak performance

Unit operators submit themselves to a rigorous selection process, and a training course that lasts 18 months and is widely considered one of the most excruciating and exhausting in the entire IDF.
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Arresting a Palestinian militant in Qalqylia
Arresting a Palestinian militant in Qalqylia
Arresting a Palestinian militant in Qalqylia
(Photo: Ziv Koren)
Among others, it includes specialized commando training that focuses on diving, vessel navigating and maritime counter-terrorism operations, as well as urban warfare on the West Bank.
Out of 8,000 who submit themselves to the initial selection, only 35 will successfully complete the selection. Operators serve for six years.
First published: 10:49, 05.05.23
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