IDF SPOKESMAN UNIT: This is how you learn to get inside the head of Radwan terrorists, every day anew
Soon the bomb is ejected from the belly of the plane - towards the terrorist infrastructure, Radwan operatives or their commanders. But unlike the momentary effect, the war against Hezbollah's special force does not stop. We got a special glimpse from a section commander in the attack cell of the Northern Command, and found out why it is possible to experience every operational achievement twice
From this headquarters in the Northern Command, between lines of screens and communication systems, and with a stream of fire orders in the background, the intense activity on the border with Lebanon and beyond has been integrated in the last year. Whether it is heavy artillery or fire from the air - everything starts in the attack cell.
And even if you have heard of his work in the past, through the mediation of land forces to help from the air and the sea, it is likely that this section - 'Radwan', few of you knew.
"The goal in front of our eyes is to remove the threat of infiltration into Israeli territory," declares the head of the Radwan section of the PLAN fire center, Major R. And a comprehensive introduction to the Raduan force."
She began to command the section a few weeks ago, after a chain of positions in the artillery corps, and since then she had time to learn the ways of the terrorist organization. "Our ambition is to get to know him like the back of our hands," she says, "to do this, we work in close cooperation with the intelligence personnel and conduct ongoing surveillance in times of emergency and routine, paying attention to any organizational change or unusual activity."
"We want to get into their heads, to know everything," she continues in the same breath, "how he operates, where the terrorists are, what his goals are, what infrastructure and weapons he has, what the chain of command looks like - to seek an answer to every question that arises. This is information that has been accumulated for years and is used by us to carry out attacks every day."
During the short time she was in office, the section managed to plan and include dozens more attacks that affected the operational situation. Whether it is the destruction of an underground infrastructure, the explosion of a headquarters or the elimination of terrorist operatives - directing attacks has become a daily routine for the members of the section.
"We work according to an orderly process - we carefully construct each objective and confirm with the appropriate level", she describes the order of operations, "choose the appropriate armaments, as well as the assistant who can carry out the mission - force of the Air Force, the Navy or the Land".
"After the target is already criminalized," she continues, "we plan the ideal timing and angle for the attack: if it is better to do it after dark, if there is a certain urgency to remove a threat or if it is more correct to stockpile additional targets and act against them at the same time."
Even after the moment of the explosion, the soldiers of the section continue their work and carry out attack control: "We are always monitoring what we did - checking what actually happened in the field, whether the result matched our estimates and if supplementary action is necessary. We always stay with our finger on the pulse."
When I ask about an attack that she particularly remembers, Major R. recounts the assassination of the deputy commander of the Radwan force last month: "I cannot expand on what the exact consequences were, but we know that the organization suffers severe blows every time it loses its leaders. They appoint replacements each time, but each of them is less skilled than the previous one, and of course we continue to closely monitor him."
The feeling of success after each such action, as it itself testifies, the members of the section experience twice. "Once at the moment of truth when the bomb falls. We see the immediate results and know if we met the specific task," she clarifies, "and a second time, when the military gives us indications of the cumulative consequences over time."
"We are here day by day, week by week, and we see the trends change. It helps us all to see the broad effect, and to understand how we, together with the ground forces, manage to influence and move towards the goal step by step."
"The Radwan force is no longer as effective as it was a year ago, and far from what it was two months ago," Major R. continues to refine the impact of the operations, "we have recorded significant operational achievements, and we continue and will continue to act against the ever-changing threats - this is our mission."