Securing a Hamas Training Base

The Heroism of the 14th Reserve Brigade

Tag of the 14th Reserve Brigade

Within just one week after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, Israel had drafted over 300,000 reserve soldiers.

That’s 300,000 soldiers who left their homes, husbands, wives, kids, jobs and showed up to help defend Israel.

Combat reservists frequently - but not always - serve in dedicated reservist brigades. They train together a few times a year so that when they are called up, they’re ready.

Today, I want to introduce you to one of those brigades…and what they did today.

But first, if this is your first time here, don’t forget to subscribe below.

Meet the ‘Bison Brigade’.

The 14th is a reserve armored brigade with a storied history (and, as you saw above, a damn cool logo). The 14th has been part of the Southern Command since 1959 and has played a critical role in a number of Israel’s wars:

• In 1967, during the Six Day War, the Bison Brigade spearheaded Ariel Sharon’s Armored Division

• In the Yom Kippur War they fought valiantly against overwhelming odds along the Suez Canal, playing a key role in enabling IDF forces to cross the canal in the counter-offensive

• And then in the First Lebanon war, the brigade battled terrorists and Syrian forces.

Today, we can add another accomplishment to the Bison’s books.

14th Brigade Tanks in the Six Day War

Over the last few days, soldiers of the 14th Reserve Brigade, in cooperation with soldiers of the Armored and Combat Engineering Corps, secured Hamas' Falestin base in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Falastin base was used by Hamas for training terrorists to attack Israeli civilians and soldiers. While it was disguised as a “training facility”, terrorist activities, including the October 7th attack, originated from the position.

During the soldiers’ operations to secure the compound, the soldiers also uncovered terror tunnels - just a few of the hundreds across the Gaza Strip - as well as explosives and mines deployed against IDF soldiers.

During the brigade's activity, dozens of terrorists were eliminated and dozens of anti-tank and mortar launch posts, observation posts and significant control infrastructure were destroyed.

The fighting was intense. Just like the brigade has encountered for nearly seventy years.

Here’s just a minute of footage from the brigade’s activity:

As Colonel Tal El-Koby, the commander of the 14th put it:

“We destroyed enemy infrastructure and many enemy terrorists. The brigade remains prepared to move ahead with any mission. In 1973, our reserve brigade made history fighting on the banks of the Suez Canal and entering Egypt. Now, again, fifty years later, the brigade is making history in the Gaza Strip.

One of his commanders, Lieutenant Colonel Nir added that his battalion, the 8114th, was drafted rapidly, trained rapidly and was deployed to fight rapidly.

I’m proud to serve in a military with them, appreciate the hundreds of thousands of reservists fighting by our side, and look forward to the day they can go back to their homes, creating a safer tomorrow for their families and friends.

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Operational Updates

• Based on intelligence information and operational necessity, IDF special forces are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a defined area in the Shifa Hospital. This follows the persistent exploitation that Hamas makes of hospitals and civilian areas, which I’ve mentioned before. We saw what Hamas had under Rantisi Hospital and know this is a defined tactic. I also appreciated the Pentagon confirming that Shifa is being used for illicit purposes by Hamas.

• Again, our war is not with the people of Gaza. Incubators, baby food and medical supplies brought by IDF tanks from Israel have successfully reached the Shifa hospital. Our medical teams and Arabic speaking soldiers are on the ground to ensure that these supplies reach those in need.

Troops delivering supplies to Shifa hospital in Gaza

• Yesterday, IDF ground troops located a Hamas training camp containing terror tunnel shafts, classrooms, intelligence material, and dozens of different types of weapons - including rockets and loaded RPGs.

• An IDF UAV identified a terrorist cell that exited a building with an anti-tank missile launching post in the northern Gaza Strip. The terrorists were carrying suspected IEDs, which they planted in the area. The UAV struck two of the terrorists. I’m including a video of the strike below.

• Last night, a missile launch toward Israeli territory was identified and successfully intercepted by the "Arrow" Aerial Defense System in the area of the Red Sea. The target did not cross into Israeli territory.

• In the north, a number of launches were identified from Lebanon toward Israeli territory. No injuries were reported. Artillery struck the source of the launches.

Quote of the Day

"We have created conditions for dismantling the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas in Gaza City. Since the beginning of the war, the IDF forces and the 162nd Division forces have been dismantling Hamas' centers and capabilities it had built over the years. Since the beginning of the ground operation, the division forces eliminated over 1,000 terrorists.”

- Lt. Col. Itzik Cohen, Commander of the 162nd Division

What I’m Reading

Hamas Must Go - The Atlantic
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her experience with Hamas in the past and why Hams must be removed from power in Gaza

Incubators, baby food and medical supplies have reached Al-Shifa, IDF says. IDF medical teams and Arabic speaking officers are working were able to deliver aid to Shifa hospital in Gaza.

Wesley Clark: Israel Militarily has to do this - CNN