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| Combat Engineering Corps | |
|---|---|
| חיל ההנדסה הקרבית | |
 Israeli Combat Engineering Corps insignia | |
| Active | 1947–today |
| Country |  Israel |
| Allegiance |  Israel Defense Forces |
| Branch |  Israeli Ground Forces |
| Type | Combat Engineering |
| Role | Combat Engineering, EOD, counter-NBC |
| Part of | Maneuvering Corps GOC Army Headquarters |
| Nicknames | "Muhandesim", "Palasim", "Ksoofim" |
| Mottos | "Rishonim Tamid" ("Always First"), "Rishonim BaHazit" ("First in the Front"), "Lech Beyekvot Haksufim" ("Follow the Silver ones") |
| Colors | Silver berets |
| March | "Handasa Kravit Theme" |
| Mascot | Panther |
| Engagements | All ofIsrael's wars, notable are:
|
| Decorations | Israel Defense Prize |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Brigadier General Ido Mizrahi |
| Notable commanders | Emmanuel Shachar, Elchanan Klein, Avishay Katz, Shimon Daniel, Moshe Sheli |
| Insignia | |
| Emblem |  |
| Flag |  |
The IsraeliCombat Engineering Corps (Hebrew:חיל ההנדסה הקרבית,Heil HaHandasa HaKravit) is part of theIsrael Defense Forces with responsibility for infantry combat, counter terrorism missions, counter-mobility of enemy forces, destruction under fire, sabotage, explosives, bomb disposal, counter-weapons of mass destruction (NBC) and special engineering missions. It is one of the most decorated front line fighting forces in the IDF.
The Combat Engineering Corps beret's color is silver and its symbol features a sword on adefensive tower with an explosion halo on the background. The Combat Engineering Corps mottos are"Always First" (ראשונים תמיד Rishonim Tamid) and the unofficial"The hard, we shall do today; the impossible, we shall do tomorrow".
In addition to Combat Engineering Corps sappers, each infantry brigade has an engineering company trained with basic engineering andexplosive ordnance disposal (EOD) skills (called פלח"הן). Combat Engineering Corps sappers and heavy equipment operators are often attached to other units (such as armored or infantry brigades) in order to help them breach through obstacles and handle explosive threats.
Beside extensive training in basic combat engineering, combat engineers receive specialized training in their respective professions. These are:
Assigned to commands, divisions, and brigades:
Northern Command Engineering Unit 801
Central Command Engineering Unit 802
Southern Command Engineering Unit 803
601st Combat Engineering Battalion "Asaf" (Assigned to the401st Armored Brigade "I'kvot haBarzel")
603rd Combat Engineering Battalion "Lahav" (Assigned to the7th Armored Brigade "Saar me-Golan")
605th Combat Engineering Battalion "HaMahatz" (Assigned to the188th Armored Brigade "Barak")
614th Combat Engineering Battalion (Assigned to the460th Armored Brigade "Bnei Or")Assigned to other commands:
Yahalom – special operations engineering unit
Military Engineering School (BAHALATZ 14)
710th Combat Engineering Battalion (Assigned to the179th Armored Brigade "Re'em")
749th Combat Engineering Battalion (Assigned to the828th Infantry Brigade)
7107th Combat Engineering Battalion "Raz" (Assigned to the933rd Infantry Brigade "Nahal")
8170th Combat Engineering Battalion (Assigned to the84th Infantry Brigade "Givati")
8173rd Combat Engineering Battalion (Assigned to the6th Infantry Brigade "Etzioni")The Israeli combat engineers and sappers are combat soldiers and therefore have a personal gear and weapons as infantry soldiers. Their issued rifle is theM-16A1 (short 13/14-inch barrel) andM4 Carbine. Other weapons includehand grenades,M203 grenade launcher,IMI Negev,FN MAG andM2 Browningmachineguns andM24 SWS andBarret M82A1sniper rifles.
The combat engineering soldiers are mobilized byAPCs and armored 4×4 vehicles.TheArmoured personnel carriers include theCenturion tank-basedIDF Puma, a heavycombat engineering vehicle equipped with engineering devices such asmine plows. Reserve forces use the old and versatileM113 APC. In 2016 the 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion ("Lahav") started to receiveIDF NamerCombat engineering vehicle based on theNamer APC.
Wheeled armored vehicles include theHMMWV ("Hummer"),Wolf Armoured Vehicle andM240 Sufa.
The Combat Engineering Corps operates heavy equipment and engineering vehicles (called TZAMA in Hebrew) such asarmored bulldozers, armored excavators, armoredwheeled loaders, armoredbackhoe loaders and more. The best known tool is the heavily armoredIDF Caterpillar D9 bulldozer.
The Combat Engineering Corps has different means to breach fast through mine fields. These include personal sapper gear, vehicle-mountedmine plows andmine rollers which can be attached to engineering vehicles and tanks, CARPET air-fuel rockets and the "Tzefa Shiryon" (Hebrew for "Armor's Viper") which is extremely powerful and can clear large mine fields.
The Combat Engineering Corps has a wide range of explosives, demolition charges and different land mines.
Yahalom SF Unit operates many types of robots, including bomb disposal robots,reconnaissance robots and remote-controlled heavy equipment (such as "Raam HaShachar" D9N bulldozer, and the "Front-Runner" mini-cat loader).
Counter-NBC soldiers are equipped with protective suits and gas masks, chemical ID systems and purification vehicles.
The Combat Engineering Corps has a record of professional achievement and decoration. Its best known operation is the bridging of theSuez Canal during theYom Kippur War. The corps was formed from the sabotage unit of thePalmach and the tractor operators units of the1948 Palestine war. In its early years, the Combat Engineering Corps drew its soldiers mainly from Jews who had served in the United Kingdom'sRoyal Engineers.
ICEC chief engineer, Brigadier GeneralDavid Leskov (not to be confused with Chief Engineering Officer קצין הנדסה ראשי, the commander of the ICEC), developed many combat engineering systems for theIsrael Defense Forces, and won threeIsrael Security Prizes. He served in the IDF until his death at the age of 86, thus being the oldest soldier in the world.
In the1948 Palestine war, the Combat Engineering Corps blasted bridges over theJordan River and the streams of the southernCoastal plain in order to stop the advance of the Arab armored forces into the Israeli rear. The Combat Engineering Corps also helped in breaching the "Burma Road" into besiegedJerusalem.
In theSuez Crisis, the Combat Engineering Corps destroyed Egyptian military infrastructure in theSinai Peninsula and was awarded with abattalion recommendation of honor.
In the 1967Six-Day War the Combat Engineering Corps stormed Jordanian fortifications along the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. After Israel annexed the Old City, the Combat Engineering Corps removed landmines planted in the city by the Jordanians. This was the first war in whichCaterpillar D9 bulldozers were employed by the corps.
After the war, the Combat Engineering Corps helped to build afortification line of defense along theSuez Canal.
In the 1973Yom Kippur War the combat engineering battalions attached toAriel Sharon's armored division bridged theSuez Canal during "Operation Knights of Heart", while carrying tanks and paratroopers across the canal withGillois amphibious tank-carriers. This effort enabled Sharon andAvraham "Bren" Adan's armored divisions to cross the canal and surround the 3rd Egyptian Army, forcing it to surrender. The bridging of the canal is regarded by many as the turning point of the war on the southern front. On the northern front, a Combat Engineering Corps Caterpillar D9 bulldozer was the first ever motorized vehicle to reach the summit of theHermon.
InOperation Peace for Galilee the Combat Engineering Corps worked intensively to open routes for Israeli forces. Their duties also included the disarming landmines andImprovised explosive devices as well as building fortifications and outposts.
In the 1991Gulf War, theNBC purifiers of the Combat Engineering Corps were on a "code red" alert for disarming IraqiScud missiles, armed with non-conventional warheads.
On 7 October 2000 three Israelicombat engineering soldiers were abducted byHezbollah from theShebaa Farms, in theGolan Heights. The soldiers,Beni Avraham,Adi Avitan andOmar Sawaed, suffered fatal injuries during their abduction. Their bodies were retrieved in 2004 in a prisoner swap with Hezbollah.
A series of accusations were made against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) by press and partisan web sites for having cooperated with the abduction. Those accusations stem from a video, whose existence was originally denied by UN officials, recorded by Indian peacekeepers one day after the abduction. The video, which the UN agreed to provide to Israeli officials in June 2001 with civilian faces blurred, showed abandoned vehicles with fake UN license plates and uniforms, and Hezbollah supporters intercepting UN efforts to retrieve the vehicles. A UN investigation found no evidence to support accusations of peacekeepers involvement in the abduction.[1] Although the bereaved families met withKofi Annan, they refused to accept the UN version. In September 2004, the bereaved families announced their intention to sue the UN,Hezbollah,Iran,Syria andLebanon for their parts in the abduction.[2]
During theSecond Intifada, which erupted in September 2000, the Combat Engineering Corps were employed to disarm PalestinianIED explosive charges andbooby traps.
Armored bulldozers were also massively employed inRafah to counter smuggling tunnels.Human Rights Watch published a report[3] criticizing the extensive destruction of Palestinian houses in the southernGaza Strip, and said it was unlawful, claiming that Israel uses the Palestiniansmuggling tunnels as a pretext to create a "buffer zone" along theGaza-Egypt border.
The Combat Engineering Corps took significant part in the2006 Lebanon War that erupted in 2006.
On 16 July combat engineering forces from Asaf battalion were the first to enter Lebanon. Their mission was to clear improvised explosive devices, open safe routes to ground forces and demolish Hizbullah infrastructures.Yahalom bomb disposal experts andIDF Caterpillar D9 bulldozers cleared most of Hizbullah's IEDs. During the war, a D9 went over a 500 kgbelly charge improvised explosive devices but survived without taking significant damage.
During the war, combat engineers used bulldozers and explosives to destroy Hezbollahoutposts, bunkers, warehouses and HQs—mainly along the border. Combat engineers also rescued damaged tanks, often under enemy fire.
Two combat engineers were awarded withMedal of Distinguished Service and other two awarded a recommendation of honor from the General Chief of Staff. Many other awarded with recommendation of honor from less senior commanders.
During theGaza War (2008–2009) codenamed "Operation Cast Lead" by theIDF, combat engineering forces were the first to enter theGaza Strip to clearIEDs,booby traps and open safe routes to armor and infantry.
Manybooby traps, tunnels, and other defensive measures were prepared in theGaza Strip byHamas, but most of the Palestinian booby traps were successfully neutralized by theIDF Combat Engineering Corpsbomb disposal experts (part ofYahalom Special Engineering Unit) andarmored D9 bulldozers.IDF Caterpillar D9R and unmanned "Raam HaShachar" D9Narmored bulldozers which opened route in dangerous areas took many hits from IEDs, landmines, explosive charges andRPGs, but no crewmen were killed. However, aYahalom bomb disposal expert was killed after entering a house and encountering asuicide bomber. He was the only fatality of the Combat Engineering Corps during the war.[citation needed]
Besides neutralizing Hamas IEDs and traps, combat engineering forces demolished buildings and other structures that could be used as cover. The head officer of the Combat Engineering Corps (קהנ"ר) estimated that about 600 buildings were bulldozed or exploded by his troops.
The Combat Engineering Corps' success heightened their reputation within theIDF and in the Israeli public. This was manifested in increased number of conscripts who chose the Combat Engineering Corps as their first priority in their draft preferation questionnaire ("Manila מנילה"—a form in which the conscript chooses in what unit he would like to serve, the IDF tries to fulfill his request as much as possible).[4]
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During the2014 Gaza War (July–August 2014) Combat Engineers played a major role in destroying underground tunnels. The tunnels were exposed and cleared by armored bulldozers and excavators, and then detonated byYahalom's Samoor unit. In total, about 32 tunnels were destroyed. In addition, combat engineers participated in the battles, neutralized Hamas-plantedimprovised explosive devices, cleared booby-traps, opened routes for armor and infantry, and destroyed Gaza infrastructure. Six combat engineers were killed during the battles in theGaza Strip.
In late 2018, the IDF commencedOperation Northern Shield to detect, located and destroyHezbollah tunnels dug into northern Israel fromSouth Lebanon. The combat engineering corps played the major role in the operation, operating on ground and below it, deployingYahalom tunnel warfare teams andheavy equipment. As of 12 January 2019, the IDF discovered 6 tunnels.
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| National | |
