As Hezbollah rocket arsenal grows, Israel creates new battalions
Jesrusalem Post/January 20/16
The IDF Home Front Command’s Galilee District has received two new search and rescue battalions, which have been converted from their original role as response units to unconventional (biological, chemical, and atomic) incidents.
The move is a reflection of the decrease of the chemical threat to northern Israel, due to the dismantling of Syria’s chemical weapons program, and the simultaneous increase in the threat posed by Hezbollah’s ever-growing conventional rocket and missile arsenal in neighboring Lebanon.
The Galilee District is responsible for civil defenses in Israeli communities situated within kilometers of the Lebanese border, and operates directly under IDF Northern Command.
Col. Ron Lotaty, Commander of the Gaililee District, told The Jerusalem Post in recent days that “growing threats from the north” are behind the move.
“We converted these two battalions and deployed them to civilian defense, to counter any threat to the home front. In Lebanon, we see Hezbollah advertising its will to ”conquer’ the Galilee [through cross-border raids], and we see its projectile capabilities. We take this seriously. Hezbollah is gaining operational experience in Syria.
We are preparing for all threats with our eyes open. We have to adapt ourselves to reality. As a result, we took this step,” Lotaty said.
Describing Hezbollah as “an Iranian arm,” Lotaty said the search and rescue battalions will deploy near cities and towns, and provide rapid responses to civilians in built up areas in case conflict breaks out.
“We will have this available and professional force that can contain incidents. They rescue civilians and save lives in a very short time period. Civilians who see them deployed near cities wil have an added sense of security,” Lotaly said, describing a policy of “making sure orange is visible to the public,” in reference to the orange color of Home Front Command unit berets.
The battalions will “retain their knowledge and training, and their abiity to deal with unconventional attacks,” Lotaty added.
Col. Eran Makov, Commander of Northern District in the Home Front Command, said the decrease of the chemical threat to Israeli civilians forms a central feature of the IDF’s risk assessments.
“There is a need to strengthen search and rescue units in the northern district, as part of a longer process. We will convert more battalions in this way,” he added.
The move was agreed upon by the IDF’s Military Intelligence and Planning Directorate, Makov said. “Every civilian council has its own specific security scenario, and we build up our force accordingly,” he said.
A search and rescue battalion is slightly smaller than a standard infantry battalion.
The last preparatory training program was held for the new battalions at the end of December.
