Yamam

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Pp-extended Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox law enforcement unit

Yamam (Template:Langx), also known as National Counter-Terrorism Unit, is Israel's national counter-terrorism unit, one of four special units of the Israel Border Police. The Yamam is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against terrorist targets in civilian areas. Besides military and counter-terrorism duties, it also performs tactical unit duties and undercover police work.

History

File:Magav-Facebook--Yamam-0006.jpg
YAMAM operators in a special visit by Israeli officials, 2017
File:YAMAM-sniper-0022.jpg
YAMAM snipers with Barrett MRAD and ghillie suits during a counter-terror/hostage-rescue demonstration in the Israel Border Police's training base.

The Yamam was established in late 1974 after the Ma'alot massacre, where a failed rescue operation by the Sayeret Matkal commando unit of the Israel Defense Forces resulted in the murder of 21 schoolchildren before the hostage takers were killed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Operational record after the Second Intifada

On May 23, 2006, a Yamam force, using intelligence provided by the Shin-Bet, arrested Ibrahim Hamed after an IDF Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer started ramming the house in which he was hiding.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On September 23, 2014, a Yamam force, together with Israel Defense Forces Combat Engineering Corps bulldozers, killed the two Hamas members accused of killing three Israeli teens in June 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Operational record during Operation Breakwater (2022–2023)

File:YAMAM-Breakwater-Operation-2023-01-26.webm
Video from the helmet camera of YAMAM operator.

On April 2, 2022, YAMAM operators killed three Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants, reportedly on their way to an attack.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On August 19, 2022, YAMAM operators killed Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, a commander of the Lions' Den militant group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On October 25, 2022, YAMAM led a combined raid (with the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet) on what the IDF said was the Lions' Den headquarters and bomb lab in Nablus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On January 26, 2023, YAMAM led a combined raid (with the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet) on Jenin refugee camp, which the IDF said was targeted against members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad who were planning an attack. Nine Palestinians were killed in the attack, including an unarmed civilian.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Operational record during the Hamas led-attack on October 7, 2023, and afterwards

On October 7, 2023, YAMAM forces were the first to respond to the October 7 attacks and the numerous massacres conducted by Palestinians in Israeli communities and towns. YAMAM operators killed in combat 200 armed Hamas gunmen and conducted several hostage rescue operations. YAMAM lost nine operators and officers who were killed in action.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On February 12, 2024, YAMAM rescued two Israeli hostages in Rafah, together with the Shin Bet and the Israeli Defense Forces, in a military covert raid code-named Operation Golden Hand.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On June 8, 2024, YAMAM rescued four hostages in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, together with the Shin Bet and the Israeli Defense Forces, in Operation Arnon. During the operation, Squad Commander Arnon Zamora, 36, was killed in combat. Noa Argamani, an Israeli citizen kidnapped in the Re'im Music festival massacre, was rescued in the operation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the operation, according to the IDF, under 100 Palestinians were killed. According to Hamas, 210 were killed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:YAMAM-Operation-Arnon-2024-06-08.webm
Body camera footage from a Yamam soldier during rescue operation on June 8, 2024.

Selection and training

Yamam recruits veterans of Israel Defense Forces and Israel Border Police combat units who completed their compulsory service. Applicants must have served in a regular IDF combat unit and completed a commander's course (Rifleman 08), served in an IDF special forces unit, or served in a Border Police Mista'arvim unit. The unit's training course lasts seven months, divided into three months of basic counter-terrorism training, during which recruits go through basic combat training as well as training in hand-to-hand combat, urban combat, and use of specialized weapons, followed by four months of advanced training.<ref>ISRAEL’S ANSWER TO TERRORISTS</ref><ref>גיוס לימ"מ - היחידה המיוחדת ללוחמה בטרור</ref>

The YAMAM trains and operates entry and breaching teams, rappelling team, snipers, K9 operator, paratroopers, EOD operators and undercover operators.Template:Cn This allows the unit to be independent of other units and respond rapidly to terror attacks and emergency cases.Template:Cn

Honors

The unit received number of honor citations (TZALASH, ציון לשבח) from the Commissioner of the Israeli Police: 2011,<ref>מחלקים עיטורים: המשטרה עושה כבוד לימ"מ (Hebrew), ynet, April 6, 2011.</ref> 2014,<ref>Announcement in the Israeli Police website, 2014.</ref> 2016,<ref>‏התפרסמה רשימת מקבלי העיטורים והצל"שים של משטרת ישראל (Hebrew), Israel HaYom, 2016.</ref> 2020,<ref>מפקד הימ"מ: הקורונה מעסיקה את המשטרה, ואנחנו נלחמים בפשיעה (Hebrew), Walla!, November 2020.</ref> and 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2022 the unit received an honor citation from the Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff (צל"ש הרמטכ"ל) for their fighting during Operation Breakwater.<ref>על פעילותן במבצע "שובר גלים": היחידות והגדודים שיקבלו צל"שים, תעודות הצטיינות והערכה – הרשימה המלאה, IDF website, November 2022 (Hebrew).</ref>

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Commons category

Template:Law enforcement in Israel Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Yamam&oldid=244972"