Near the Gaza Strip coastline, on the side of the road in the city of Rafah, amidst the ruins of structures that served as terror infrastructure – I am meeting with a group of tank crews from Battalion 53, under the command of the Paratroopers Brigade Combat Team. They were there then too, a little over two years ago, when operational control in the area was first established. Recently, they returned with their tanks to deal with a different kind of mission.
“Even when the area appears relatively quiet, alertness does not decrease,” explains Major R’, the Deputy Battalion Commander, at the beginning of the conversation, as we drive towards the forces’ deployment point. “Our main objective recently has been to defend the area and the territory beyond the ‘red line’ (lit. ‘yellow line’), whose sole purpose is to ensure that no enemy approaches or poses a threat. By positioning ourselves directly between the Gaza envelope communities and the Strip, we are creating a defensive wall and continuously thwarting terror activities.”
His words directly connect to the ongoing operations we are witnessing in Gaza. Just in the past few days, among others, the commander of the naval police in the central camps, the sniper unit commander in Gaza City, a Hamas military wing operative, a commander in the Khan Yunis Brigade of the Islamic Jihad, and terrorists involved in transferring funds to finance terror operations in the Strip have been eliminated. Some of these terrorists were involved in planning the October 7th massacre and even crossed into Israeli territory during it.
As we advance with the vehicle towards the outpost, destroyed infrastructure that was previously used by terror organizations is revealed along the roadside. “The terrain tells the story of what happened here throughout the war,” describes the Deputy Battalion Commander, “and our presence in the area is intended to ensure that these things do not happen again.”
Upon arrival at the forces’ location, one of the soldiers tells us about the routine in the area, and how it changes anew each morning: “There are very intense days, with many missions and building defensive layers. On the other hand, there are also quieter days. It all depends on the missions that come down at that time, and the challenges that can arise in the area.”
The challenges he refers to stem partly from the IDF’s presence in the area – and the enemy’s attempts to learn, plant explosives, or set up sniper positions: “This is one of the reasons why operational discipline is so important, both at the individual and company level.”
The battalion’s constant ‘dawn readiness’ procedure is connected to a variety of operations, many of which are carried out in cooperation with infantry forces in the area. “This includes foot patrols in the security area, ambushes, operational work that strengthens the defense of the area, and more,” elaborates the Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel A’, “All of these are intended to establish control and prevent the development of terror cells in this environment, even if they are not currently visible.”
Part of this includes the establishment of ground obstacles for future use, composed of multiple layers of infantry defense. Their purpose is to delay the enemy and block their advance towards our forces or any other objective.
Battalion 53 arrived here after two months of maneuvering in Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, a theater that is distant from here in many aspects beyond geography. “In the northern sector, we encountered significant friction with the enemy in a very dense area,” he describes the operation during which they eliminated dozens of Hezbollah operatives, destroyed infrastructure, and confiscated weaponry.
Immediately after completing the operational deployment, the battalion returned to the southern sector: “The transition is very sharp, especially with many different characteristics between the two sectors, both in terms of the enemy and the terrain. Here, the situation is much more deceptive. But the quiet does not hide the terrain that continues to be exposed or the intentions behind it.”
With the move south, the tank crews of Battalion 53 were required to adapt quickly operationally. However, their sense of mission remained the same, both in maneuver and in holding the line. “We are proud to be here, we would not prefer to be anywhere else,” concludes the Deputy Battalion Commander, “especially when we know that those we are protecting on the front line are the residents of the Gaza envelope communities.”
