A few hours after Yom Kippur, Etzioni's 9220 Battalion went on an important mission in southern Lebanon, and was caught in a massive ambush by Hezbollah. The silence of the night was broken, and for many hours a fierce battle took place against the terrorists. 

It's rare to have second chances in war, but from a conversation with Aviv, Jonathan and Oded, we understood how an entire battalion does not give up - until it finishes the mission.

"People need to know this story, to know what our fighters went through there", this is the only request of Aviv, Jonathan and Oded, just after they finish telling me about that night about a month ago in southern Lebanon, "It was a heroic battle, no less".

"We came to this activity with very high self-confidence, with a lot of faith in ourselves and in our abilities", Major (ret.) Oded, second in command in Battalion 9220 in the Etzioni Brigade, begins the story of what began as a raid on terrorist infrastructure in a village near the border.

A few hours earlier, the fighters could still hear the silence so characteristic of Yom Kippur, which sealed the procedure of the battle they conducted before their second entry into Lebanon.

"We felt that the experience we gained in the previous activity, as the first reserve brigade to cross the northern border, was going to play in our favor," he explains. "We knew this was a serious task, and we were ready to charge forward."

"HEAR THE FIRST WHISTLE - AND AN EXPLOSION"

As the sun set, they loaded their gear on their backs and set off. When the darkness completely took over the sky, they had already set foot on the land of Lebanon. "My company and I are the first to cross and take up positions," continues Major (res.) Oded, "the fighters I lead are actually used as a 'cover force' with extensive fire capabilities."

After them, the commanding company crosses, ready to attack the terrorist target of Hezbollah. "Barely half an hour passes before we hear the first whistle - and the explosion," Colonel (ret.) Yonatan, a platoon sergeant in the company, recounts the moment when the battle began. "It is reported that an anti-tank missile hit the force. At this stage, we don't understand who exactly was hit or where he was shot, and we immediately stop and rush to find shelter."

After a considerable amount of fire and masking bombs from the IDF, the affected force managed to evacuate independently, and the command decides to continue the mission from another location. "To (res.) Jonathan. "It is clear to all of us that this is not an incident of a single anti-tank fire."

"WE NEVER STOPPED SHOOTING"

"Indeed, within a few steps I hear the same sharp whistle again," he continues, "I turn my head to the right and see a white-red flash, and quickly find myself flying through the air from the ledge and landing on one of the rocks. I let out a groan of pain, but as soon as I start to hear shouts - I stand up."

He begins to scan the place in search of wounded, sort them according to the severity of the injury and assist in medical treatment: "I count one, two, three, and still continue to hear the calls. At this point my machine gunner, who functions as a civilian medic, takes command of the treatment and I report an incident with many casualties."

In those moments, the soldiers of the company realize that they have to stop and cover the wounded. "We receive an order to fire," Yonatan elaborates on those moments, "for many minutes we do not stop shooting in the direction from which we are suspected of being shot at."

The Cover force, including Major Oded, is operating at peak strength. "At this point, we are the ones who are the deepest in the field, and in an observation position over the entire area," says the lt. commander, "we are nonstop directing artillery and air fire and masking smoke".

The terrorists launch a third anti-tank missile at the engaging force, which hits near the grenade launcher's position: 

"I announce to the battalion liaison that we are in an ambush and speak with the Battalion commander, who is fighting with the other force," recalled Major (res.) Oded, "when I ask to improve our position, I receive a clear order that accompanies me throughout the rest of the battle: 'Stay exactly where you are, you are saving us our ass.'"

WHEN THE BATTLE DUST SETTLES

At this point, the exchange of fire has been going on for many hours, and after the fourth anti-tank missile hit, the battalion announces a withdrawal. "We are moving back towards the border, as we are constantly in cover, making sure that the enemy is not after us," clarifies Major General Yonatan. Major (ret.) Oded, who at the time was at the head of the striking force, adds: "All this time we remain in cover, as the battalion's anchor on the ground." 

At the same time, the artillery, tanks and air forces continue to provide fire and screen the exit of the troops."

The attacking company is already in Israeli territory, and now it is the turn of the engaging force to withdraw from the place. When the sun started to shine, they are across the border, in Israel. "I stand at the entrance to the crossing and receive everyone, making sure that all the fighters are there," the Lt. commander notes, "beyond the wall I see the wounded, all in different stages of treatment and evacuation."

Before they have time to move away from the place, PEMS are fired into the area and also cause injuries among the fighters. Due to the danger beyond the fence, they decide to retreat back to the assembly area. It is only late in the morning that they manage to lower their pulse and begin to digest what happened.

"In retrospect, we learn that we were caught in a spatial ambush by Hezbollah's special forces," explains Captain (resp.) Aviv, "After the battle dust settled, we found out that 28 fighters and medics were wounded, one of them seriously. All of them were rescued by the battalion independently , and fortunately and the professionalism of the people on the ground, we ended it without a single casualty, on the other hand, we managed to eliminate a large number of terrorists in the exchange of fire, and prevent much worse scenarios."

"THEY TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS, GET READY - AND GO IN AGAIN"

"I remember that in the first hours after the battle, everyone gathered within themselves," Jonathan testifies, "I was sitting in a room together with a friend from the department and after some difficult thoughts, I asked him for the loudspeaker and played a song that accompanied me at that time. 

We started to dance, just move the body and release everything that was. Little by little we gathered the whole department like this. We were all together, it was amazing. People came to us later and thanked us for helping them not to sink."

After two days, during which they processed the events of the difficult battle together with the health officers and commanders in the brigade, the fighters prepared a battle procedure for the same target - and set out to attack it again. 

"We roll up our sleves, got prepared - and went    in again", he declares, "We operated for a week inside that village. We cleared the place of many terrorists, with the cooperation of armor and engineering forces we found huge amounts of anti-tank weapons and enemy infrastructure, above and below the ground - and dismantled everything."

"It's a complex feeling, to return to the same place," he shares in the same breath, "on the one hand you have fear, and on the other hand a tremendous sense of meaning. Like a child learning to ride a bicycle and falling, we picked ourselves up with both hands and didn't give up. We proved to ourselves that we can."

Even today, as they are preparing for the next activities across the border, the soldiers of the battalion continue to digest what happened that day, and to accompany their wounded comrades and their families: 

"We saw fighters charging into the fire to take care of their comrades, fighting and not retreating until the last moment, we saw tremendous fellowship and unimaginable professionalism".

"And most of all," they repeat, "we saw people who managed to close a circle, return to the battlefield where they witnessed terrible sights, and finally fulfill their mission in the best possible way. They are here on the border - for the sake of the citizens of Israel even at this very moment."