[Israel]: Operation Defensive Shield III

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OPERATION DEFENSIVE SHIELD III​

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Objective:	Operation Defensive Shield III will be the primary Israeli response to securing Israeli strategic interests and strengthening the security of Israeli positions adjacent to/and in the West Bank, disrupting any hostile militant activity that may arise, whilst safeguarding key infrastructure and population centers, and establish conditions for sustained operational freedom and regional stability.
Date:	May 2009 - Current
Location:	West Bank
Status:	Active

BELLIGERENTS​

Israel

Palestine

LEADERS AND COMMANDERS​

Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister) Naftali Bennett (Minister of Defence) Lieutenant-General Orli Markman (Chief of the Gerneral Staff) Major-General Ella Shado-Shechtmann (Commander of Ground Forces)

Marwan Barghouti (Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation)

STRENGTH​

Israeli Ground Forces: Judea and Samaria Division Duvdevan Unit (300x Special Forces Personnel) Menashe Territorial Brigade Menashe Brigade Headquarters [500x Regular Personnel, 20x AIL Storm IIIs] Jenin Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Qabatiya Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Arraba Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Ephraim Territorial Brigade Ephraim Brigade Headquarters [500x Regular Personnel, 20x AIL Storm IIIs] Qalqilya Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Tulkarm Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Salfit Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Samaria Territorial Brigade Samaria Brigade Headquarters [500x Regular Personnel, 20x AIL Storm IIIs] Nablus Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Tubas Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Jericho Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Binyamin Territorial Brigade Binyamin Brigade Headquarters [500x Regular Personnel, 20x AIL Storm IIIs] Ramallah Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Bireh Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Ramm Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Etzion Territorial Brigade Etzion Brigade Headquarters [500x Regular Personnel, 20x AIL Storm IIIs] Bethlehem Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Beit Sahour Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Beit Jala Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Yehudia Territorial Brigade Yehuda Brigade Headquarters [500x Regular Personnel, 20x AIL Storm IIIs] Hebron Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Dhahiriya Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Yatta Territorial Infantry Battalion [1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x AIL Storm IIIs] Israel Air Force Air Defence Command Northern Air Defence Regiment (500x Regular Personnel, 5x Iron Dome Batteries) Central Air Defence Regiment (500x Regular Personnel, 5x Iron Dome Batteries) Southern Air Defence Regiment (500x Regular Personnel, 5x Iron Dome Batteries)

N/A

CASUALTIES AND LOSSES​

None

None

 

[Zak]

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ENCRYPTED
Members from the Palestinian Division of the Military Intelligence Directorate had been monitoring social media and various online forums and had picked up on chatter that a potential Palestinian meeting could be underway in a couple of hours time, the lead officer had passed this up the chain of command and a mobilisation order for the Duvdevan Unit arrived just after two in the morning. Within minutes, the team was gathered around a briefing table, studying a photograph and a map of Ramallah. Their objective was to locate a wanted group and support their detention. They would not enter the city as a recognisable military unit. Instead, each member had been given a different civilian identity.

Avi, the commander, a fluent Arabic speaker, would pass as an electrician working in the Jerusalem District Electricity Company. His clothes were deliberately ordinary, work trousers, a weathered jacket and a tool bag that made him look like someone who had spent years repairing electrical faults. He wasn't supposed to attract attention; he was supposed to look like a man who had somewhere to be.

Yoni's cover was completely different. He would operate as a sweetcorn vendor, pushing a small street cart and calling out to customers as he moved through the area. He was the team's fluent Arabic speaker, making the role particularly useful for appearing naturally involved in everyday conversations.

Maya would appear as an ordinary local woman, a fluent Arabic speaker, dressed modestly and carrying a shopping bag. Her role was to move through the same public spaces as everyone else without looking connected to the men around her.

Eli, the medic, would pose as a delivery worker, a fluent Arabic speaker, carrying a small bag and moving between different locations as though completing routine errands. Noam would appear to be a construction worker, who also spoke fluent Arabic, while Dan, also spoke fluent Arabic would take on the role of a taxi passenger rather than travelling with the others. Omer's cover was that of a young shop assistant, giving him a reason to spend time around busy commercial streets whilst speaking with the locals about random things such as sport and promoting his shop.

Rafi had perhaps the least glamorous role of all: a local driver. He would remain with the vehicle and wait for the others, watching the clock and listening for updates on his encrypted earpiece.

At dawn, they entered Ramallah separately.

Avi's appearance as an electrician gave him a reason to be carrying equipment and moving through residential streets, he carried a loaded IWI Tavor X95 with silencer and three extra magazines in his work dufflebag. Yoni's sweetcorn cart attracted occasional customers, allowing him to become part of the background noise of the city. He also carried a IWI Tavor X95 with silencer and three extra magazines in a hiddenc compartment under his cart. Maya disappeared into the morning crowd, she had a Jericho 941 with a silencer and three extra magazines concealed within a thigh holster which was concealed with her skirt, while Noam walked along in work clothes with the tired expression of someone beginning another shift, in his backpack was also a IWI Tavor X95 with a silencer and three extra magazines.

To anyone watching, there was no obvious connection between them.

That was the strange thing about the operation. Eight highly trained soldiers had entered the city, yet there was nothing particularly remarkable about any of them. One looked like an electrician. Another looked like a street vendor. Another looked like a construction worker. Another looked like a woman on her way to the shops.

Only they knew that the apparently unrelated people moving through the streets were actually members of the same team.

Then Yoni's voice came quietly over the encrypted radio.

“I may have them.”

Avi stopped beside a building and looked down at his tools.

“I have a building with an armed guard outside. Confirm before anyone moves.”

The sweetcorn vendor continued pushing his cart.

The electrician continued walking.

The woman continued shopping.

The construction worker continued down the street.

And around them, Ramallah carried on as if nothing unusual was happening.