The legal officials clarified that since Israel has declared a naval blockade, it must be consistently enforced without exceptions, and therefore the flotilla must not be allowed to pass. Security officials noted that the ships might contain ammunition that would aid Hamas, making it mandatory to inspect the contents before they are permitted to pass. For these reasons, it was decided that the new flotilla will be handled in a manner very similar to how the previous flotilla was managed.

Accordingly, once the flotilla reaches the maritime border of Gaza, IDF forces, led by the Israeli Navy, will operate according to international regulations and will warn the boats not to advance further. If they cooperate, they will be redirected to one of Israel's ports. If they refuse, the IDF will forcibly seize control of the boats and tow them to Israeli shores. Following their arrival in the country, the participants will undergo a legal procedure similar to what took place the last time. However, urgent discussions are being held in Israel on the question of whether to release them, especially regarding participants for whom this will be their second attempt to breach the blockade, such as Greta Thunberg.

It should be noted that based on intelligence information gathered in Israel, the flotilla is not only designed to assist Hamas propaganda but was also funded and organized by the organization, meaning the flotilla was intended to be a media gimmick from start to finish. Against this backdrop, alongside the operational preparation, there is an extensive and coordinated public relations effort by the Foreign Ministry, the IDF, the Israel Police, and the other agencies that are monitoring the flotilla and preparing to address it. This is intended to provide a real-time media response to any expected provocation from the participants. It should be noted that already, Israel's messages regarding the flotilla have garnered millions of views on social networks, whereas the participants' publications are receiving comparatively little and small attention.

Israel and Italy have offered the flotilla participants the option to unload the contents of the boats at legitimate ports in the Middle East, so that the contents could undergo a security inspection and then be transferred to the Gaza Strip through the conventional routes. Nonetheless, all the offers were rejected by them. Foreign Ministry Director General Eitan Bar Tal stated on Thursday in a response during a press conference for the foreign media, "The flotilla's refusals prove once again that its real purpose is not the transfer of humanitarian aid, but rather provocation and service to the terrorist organization Hamas. Israel reiterates: the entry of vessels into an active combat zone will not be permitted and the violation of the lawful naval siege will not be allowed."

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"It was a historic battle," emphasized Col. (res.) Udi Erel, then a young captain and operations officer of Flotilla 3, which carried out the mission. "Two hours of fierce exchanges that established a wartime fact: any Syrian or Egyptian vessel that entered the sea never returned to port. The Navy relied heavily on past traditions. Once, in such victories, it was customary to place a broom atop the mast to symbolize that the sea had been 'swept clean.' But the flotilla commander, Micha Ram, refused out of respect for the enemy and to signal that the mission was not yet complete."

Video: The Israeli Air Force strike on the Syrian Navy, December last year // IDF Spokesperson

Amid the chaos of the Swords of Iron War, the heroic operation "Arrow of Bashan," launched on December 8, 2024, after the fall of the Syrian regime, nearly faded from public memory. Fearing that strategic Syrian weapons left behind would fall into hostile hands, a joint operation was launched involving ground, naval, and air forces, ultimately neutralizing 80 percent of the capabilities left by Assad's military.

As part of the operation, Flotilla 3 returned to Latakia, the site of its Yom Kippur War legacy, and sank 15 vessels carrying weaponry that could have posed a serious threat to Israeli national security.

"In the end, we're walking in the paths of our predecessors," said Maj. T., commander of INS Yaffo, which took part in the operation. "Every naval officer grows up on those stories and the routes we sailed. When I addressed the crew before the mission, I felt chills, I knew we were about to undertake a mission of deep significance. I spoke to the sailors about the Battle of Latakia, because without historical awareness, we are nothing. Just as the 7th Armored Brigade draws strength from the Battle of the Valley of Tears, we too must know our past. In the end, it's the spirit that wins battles."

Maj. T. welcomed us aboard the INS Yaffo. Just 28 years old, he had been on leave when the war broke out but rushed back, initially serving as a deputy before formally taking command eight months ago.

With him were two strike officers from neighboring vessels in the flotilla who had participated in the operation: Lt. T. from INS Herev, who had still been in naval officers' training when the war erupted and found himself at sea by October 8; and Lt. G., who had joined INS Kidon only a week before the war began.

"I didn't even know the names of the sailors," said Lt. G., 24, laughing. "Everything happened in motion. In officers' training they told us we'd be the generation facing a war, but they say that to everyone. For us, it became reality. It wasn't a shock, but it was pressure, especially when you don't know anyone, you've got no one to lean on, and you're suddenly in endless shifts at sea. You go out for weeks at a time, come back for supplies, and head out again. On a ship like the Nirit, the intimacy is intense. It's crowded, soldiers and officers live together, creating a unique closeness. And in wartime, it's like that closeness on steroids."

What do you mean by that?

"I'm with the soldiers 24/7, they see me at my most upbeat and my most complex moments. During the war, we got news of friends or relatives being killed, more than once. You need to absorb that, be the supportive figure, and still function."

Lt. T., 23, the strike officer aboard INS Herev, understood all too well. "When I first went out to sea, I still didn't know the fate of two classmates who were at the Nova music festival and listed as missing. We returned from the mission after a week, and I immediately called my sister. She told me their bodies had been found. Throughout the war, we kept thinking about how to maintain our combat intensity while staying connected to home."

When Lt. G. described life aboard the Nirit, it called for a look at the vessels that make up the missile boat flotilla based in Haifa. The Nirit is a Saar 4.5-class missile boat, the smallest and oldest of the fleet, with the first of its type launched in the early 1980s. Measuring 61 meters in length and housing about 60 crew members, it's mainly used for strike missions.

Next to it is the Saar 5-class ship, in service for about 30 years, 85 meters long and considered multi-mission. But the standout vessel is the futuristic Saar 6, just six years into service and resembling a spaceship at 89 meters in length.

"The Saar 6 is the crown jewel," admitted Lt. T., the strike officer aboard INS Herev, one of the older models. "They're the newest and primarily used for defense, but when we head to sea, each ship has its own specific mission."

Strike officers are responsible for the ship's precision weaponry, arms capable of engaging distant targets. During the war, ships often made the long journey from the north to the Gaza Strip to guard gas rigs. It was non-stop.

"Imagine being a combat sailor in the flotilla, exposed to four different combat arenas and having to master them all," said Maj. T. "There's no debating professionalism here. Our ability to reach every front demands mental flexibility from each fighter."

The window of opportunity

Operation "Arrow of Bashan" in Syria caught the sailors completely by surprise. Nothing indicated that an offensive in enemy territory was imminent. except at the highest levels of the military, where concern over the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime emerged in early December.

The greatest fear was the unknown. Israel's security establishment had no idea how Syria's new leadership would view Israel, particularly since the rising figure, Ahmad al-Sharaa - known as al-Julani - had a jihadist past and deep ties to the terrorist organization al-Qaida.

"The operation started as a surprise," confirmed Lt. Col. D., head of Naval Superiority, responsible for coordinating firepower and strike planning. "The operations director at Navy HQ called us all in on Friday for a situational briefing after the coup began. We pulled out contingency plans listing all strategic weapons that could fall into hostile hands. My division handles precise targeting - where to strike, how - and we coordinated with the IDF General Staff and Military Intelligence's Operations Division."

What was the threat posed by the Syrian navy?

"Missile boats that could fall into hostile hands. Each missile on those ships carries dozens of kilograms of explosives and could pose a threat to Israeli civilian or military vessels. The fall of the regime opened a brief window of opportunity, to remove that threat."

On Saturday, Navy HQ continued working on the strike plans. Only on Sunday morning, December 8, did an order go out to Flotilla 3: within hours, they were to head to Latakia port in northern Syria to destroy Syrian vessels deemed a threat to national security.

"INS Kidon was in what we call 'stand-down week,'" said Lt. G. "Every so often, a ship docks for maintenance that can't be done during normal operations. Ours was mid-refit, the kitchen had been removed for replacement. Then Sunday morning, we got the order: 'You're sailing this afternoon.' The mission was simple: 'Sink Syrian ships carrying strategic weapons.' I thought it was insane at first. Set sail in a few hours? I just told myself, 'Okay then.'"

Maj. T., commander of INS Yaffo, also received the order on Sunday morning. "A missile boat has four divisions," he explained. "Detection, navigation and communications, which handles route planning; the weapons division, which handles munitions; the engine and machine crew, responsible for engines and generators that run simultaneously and demand high energy; and the electronics system that protects the ship, detects threats and intercepts. On mornings like this, the captain sits down with division heads, each of whom lays out their plan. It's like preparing for a presentation to top brass. Then we get mission approval and sail out. It's extreme dynamism. We know how to prep under tight deadlines, even in surprise situations. We looked the crews in the eye and said: 'Friends, we're heading north to get the job done.'"

In the weapons division, preparations for the strike began immediately. "Everything moved fast, but we've trained for this since day one," said Lt. T., INS Herev's strike officer. "We studied the operational protocols, the intelligence, and each crew got its target and had to present a plan. No one tells you how to do it, that's your job."

Lt. G. was aboard INS Kidon reviewing the target sheet. "I knew what each target was and where it was docked," she said. "I sat with the mission commander and my controller, and we planned the best execution method."

The port of Latakia, home to Syria's naval base, lies in the north of the country and is considered its primary seaport. It regularly handles shipments of construction materials, minerals, and vehicles, and maintains regular maritime lines to Alexandria, Beirut, and Izmir in Turkey.

Operation "Arrow of Bashan" concentrated primarily on the military port in Latakia and the nearby Mina al-Bayda port. Fifteen vessels were targeted, some of them Osa 2-class missile boats, others Tir 2-class Iranian-manufactured ships modeled on a North Korean missile boat design. The primary concern was that among the weapons onboard were Noor missiles with a range of 200 kilometers and Styx missiles with a 90-kilometer range, which could end up in the wrong hands.

In an operation like this, where time is critical and the window of opportunity is narrow, there's no room to consider moonlight or sea conditions. This was early December, mid-winter, with high seas. Before leaving the Haifa naval base, all vessels underwent "lashing," securing loose objects to prevent damage or loss during the stormy voyage.

In the afternoon hours, Flotilla 3 departed the port, heading north in a secure and quiet formation. On the way, they could see the lights of Lebanon, and even Cyprus didn't seem far. It was a multi-hour journey, with no knowing what lay ahead. At the time, Russian vessels were also docked at Tartus port, just south of Latakia, a base used mainly for maintenance.

"When you're sailing through a hostile area, there are threats I can't even talk about," said Maj. T., commander of INS Yaffo. "We know we're being targeted, and every fighter heading out to sea understands that returning home is not a given. Civilians may think our encounters are low-risk, but the friction is high, and this requires surgical precision by seasoned fighters."

What kinds of dangers do you face?

"When operating a warship, you need a degree of humility. As far as I'm concerned, I know nothing. I enter a combat zone, operate the vessel and the fighters, and I respect the enemy. Because if we act arrogantly, thinking we're invincible, well, history has shown what happens to those who do."

Is there concern about an incident like the one with INS Hanit in the Second Lebanon War?

"Absolutely."

Joint force

During the voyage, a new directive was issued: before striking the Syrian vessels, the flotilla would need to take out surface-to-air missile systems scattered throughout the area, to create an aerial corridor for Israeli Air Force jets that would simultaneously strike in Syria.

"We created a fusion of sea, air, and ground forces that was a game-changer, a new X-factor in combat," said Maj. T. "This cooperation played out in corridor openings, targeting terrorists, and everything you can imagine. We maintained communication throughout the voyage, an unprecedented level of synergy not seen at this intensity in previous wars."

The missile boats struck the surface-to-air batteries. Then the fighter jets flew in through the corridor, hitting missile warehouses and launchers positioned onshore and threatening Israeli vessels. With air defenses down, all was ready for the operation's grand finale, planned for Monday afternoon: the sinking of the Syrian navy's warships.

"Until it happens, it doesn't really happen," Maj. T. said with a wry smile. "Even once we arrived, we knew things could still go wrong. We could be ordered to turn back at any moment, too many variables. And even when you hear the launch, it's not over, after impact, you still have to get back through a challenging zone. Until the ship is docked and we're on land, it's not over."

On Monday, December 9, around 6 p.m., under cover of darkness, 15 Syrian vessels were destroyed in the ports of Latakia and Mina al-Bayda.

"I'm sure a ship commander sees it differently," said Lt. G., the strike officer aboard INS Kidon, "but at least in my role, there's a clear sequence of actions to follow, and this was something I had done several times throughout the war. Still, this time felt far more intense and different. Yet we performed those steps automatically. In a way, I couldn't believe it was actually happening. It still feels surreal, to sink ships. When it was over, I felt privileged to be part of this, to contribute, even if I'm just a small cog in the machine."

Lt. T., the strike officer aboard INS Herev, also recalled the exact moment when the missiles left the ship en route to their targets. "Everything went by the book," he said. "We heard the weapons fire. There was a kind of ceremonial silence. We saw a Syrian navy vessel that we had studied as a target, we looked at each other and said, 'It's happening now.'"

Is there a cheer of victory when the strike lands?

"That would be childish, and I'll explain why," Maj. T. said. "The celebratory 'Yes!' distracts from other responsibilities. When you're in a hostile arena, there are multiple actions that must be carried out simultaneously. In the Combat Information Center of a missile ship, it's a fascinating world, one soldier may be focused on aerial detection while the person sitting next to them handles offensive strikes. They sit side-by-side, but their missions are completely different. That's the beauty of these ships. And to your question, if you start cheering, you lose focus. I told the team: until the debriefing, we don't know if we truly succeeded. Only once we complete the strike, conduct a review, acknowledge the ethos, briefly touch on the history, give a smile, a pat on the back, then we move forward."

Lt. T. knew exactly what his commander meant. "You finish the most significant strike of your military service, and then you're back on duty, standing watch on the bridge," he said with a grin.

Two hours ashore

While the operation was underway, Israel Navy Commander Maj. Gen. David Saar Salama and other senior officers were in the control center monitoring real-time assessments. It quickly became clear that the hits were precise and the mission goals achieved.

"To all our forces, at sea and onshore, I want to express my deep appreciation," Salama said over the communication system as the ships sailed back. "It was executed professionally. A historic day. But it's not over until it's over, until the next mission. Well done."

"For us, the mission went smoothly," said Lt. Col. D., head of Naval Superiority, who had overseen the operation remotely. "We had the honor of being part of history, of eliminating 80 percent of the Syrian army's capabilities."

By Tuesday morning, the vessels reached Haifa Port, where top brass awaited them. "Navy Commander Salama greeted us and commended the clean execution," Maj. T. recalled. "He explained the strategic layer, how this operation degraded enemy capabilities, which is our mission. Then I addressed the crew. I spoke of the honor we'd been given. I said we would debrief and learn how to improve. We refueled, grabbed two crates of fruits and vegetables, and set out again on a defense mission. We were ashore for less than two hours. Someone once talked to me about euphoria, there's no euphoria in war until it's over."

For the Israeli Navy, this war has meant non-stop operations. There's no downtime, no rotations. It's simply from one mission to the next.

"There are fighters who've been aboard the ship since before October 7, and they've been here the entire war," said Maj. T., commander of INS Yaffo. "Some were fresh high school graduates at the start. We don't have a reserve force that rotates in to replace us. It's demanding, intense work. But in the end, our mindset is: 'Whatever needs to be done, we'll do it.' These are intelligent fighters, spending countless hours at sea, in rough conditions and storms, and this past winter had plenty. We need to finish our work thoroughly and professionally. From our perspective, we'll be here for the next ten years, ready to pass the torch."

Staying under the radar

Unlike the many heroic stories that surfaced during the war, the Israeli Navy largely stayed in the shadows, maintaining secrecy. Even in this interview, the information had to be extracted gently. "The further from the spotlight, the better," they said. Lt. G. even shared that her own family barely knew what major operation she had taken part in.

"Honestly, I was a bit disappointed that the operation's story was published," she admitted. "It's important to keep our capabilities quiet, so we can use them again. When I was invited to take part in this piece, I thought I wouldn't be able to help, I worried that talking might reveal details that could undermine future strikes or defensive actions. On the other hand, people rarely hear about the Navy, and it's important to give our sailors the recognition they deserve."

These young officers will eventually learn that such stories are the building blocks of legacy, and that even closely guarded secrets sometimes make their way into the headlines. Because while humility is admirable, reputation and pride also need cultivation.

"They're amazing, and what they did was amazing," said Col. (res.) Udi Erel, who fought in the 1973 Battle of Latakia. "It was a clean, professional strike with short notice. True, in our time we were under direct fire, but the surgical precision won out in both cases. I have no doubt this operation will become part of the Navy's heritage. As the British say, they cleaned the area."

Maj. T., commander of INS Yaffo, agrees. He's certain that one day, this operation will be taught to new recruits. "It's our job to ensure this mission is firmly anchored in the Navy's heritage. Just as they spoke to us about the history of the Navy and how it achieved superiority during the Yom Kippur War, I believe that in 20 years, they'll know what we did."

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In a rare glimpse into one of Israel's most clandestine military units, photographer Oren Cohen spent two years documenting the Israeli Navy's Underwater Missions Unit (Yalt'am). His unprecedented access, both before and after the October 7 attacks, offers a unique look at the specialized divers who protect Israel's maritime borders, perform complex rescue operations, and neutralize underwater threats. Despite its critical role in national security, this unit remains largely unknown to the public, especially since October 7.

"We deal with what could be called professional diving," explains Lt. Col. Oron Inbar (47), the unit's commander for the past five years, who completed his service this week after nearly three decades in the military. "Professional diving is a complex field, very different from combat diving performed by Shayetet 13 (Israel's naval special forces). Our diving can be both shallow and very deep, with unit members diving to depths of 300 feet. We also have robotic equipment that can reach depths between 330 and 980 feet, which has been crucial during the current conflict."

When asked about missions since October 7, Inbar elaborates: "We mobilized very quickly when the war broke out, preparing for all scenarios, and were operational within hours. Since then, we've been doing what we do best in both the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Our core wartime missions have involved neutralizing and removing or locating and removing devices we've found along the southern coast, for instance, after attempted sea infiltrations. In the southern sector, we've located and removed a lot of weaponry. We've also located and removed unmanned underwater vehicles, along with other missions involving detection and mapping, often in cooperation with Shayetet 13 and Yahalom (the IDF's elite combat engineering unit).

The Yalt'am unit also has offensive capabilities, which have been utilized in recent fighting. "We also engage in offensive missions," Inbar explains, "but routinely, we deal more with things the enemy prepares for us and causes us to handle, mainly detection, removal, neutralization, and destruction underwater."

At the start of the war, missions were truly around the clock, and even now, it's fair to say there's a lot of high-intensity activity. We're carrying out complex operations in the maritime arena, mainly in the southern sector, but also in the north."

Lt. Col. Oron Inbar, the outgoing Yalt'am commander, is 47, married with three children, and lives on the Kfar HaMaccabi kibbutz. "My love for water and handiwork began in childhood, and the combination always fascinated me," he recounts. "My father was a Shayetet 13 warrior, and I enlisted in 1997 for the naval officer course. I served on ships and as a commander in the naval officer course, then joined Yalt'am, which I've commanded since summer 2019 until this week, for five years."

Yalt'am marks Israeli holidays and special occasions in a unique way underwater, from raising national flags on Independence Day to lighting Hanukkah candles using underwater welding equipment. Yalt'am is one of the finest examples of women's integration in the IDF. "We've been a mixed-gender unit for over 20 years, and for us, it's the most natural thing in the world, a non-issue," Inbar reports.

One of Yalt'am's most crucial and important activities is rescue and recovery in all of Israel's aquatic and underwater areas, including the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Sea of Galilee, rivers, and more. Over the years, the unit has participated in numerous missions to locate missing persons. Tragically, in many cases, this has also involved recovering bodies from the water.

Unit members play a vital role in rescue operations following military accidents, often working in collaboration with Unit 669 combat rescue forces. "Once it becomes an underwater incident, we lead it," Inbar explains, "both in rescue and in collecting and extracting parts of crashed helicopters – for example, for accident investigations."

In many cases, Yalt'am works on civilian incidents in cooperation with the police. "It happens quite often that innocent civilians swimming in the sea or various bodies of water spot something – for example, different types of ordnance, weapon parts, or bombs," says Inbar. "The civilians call the police, and they call us. These parts end up in the water, among other reasons, as remnants of criminal incidents."

Another unique Yalt'am specialization, even at the national level, is explosives handling – for example, removing bombs and weaponry found underwater, dealing with improvised explosive devices. "It's similar to what the Yahalom unit of the Combat Engineering Corps does," says Inbar, "and we cooperate with them."

"We perform any task or job you can imagine above water and underwater, and often the underwater execution is much more complex and dangerous," Inbar explains. "We deal with underwater engineering, treating and rehabilitating infrastructure, systems, structures, and vessels, underwater welding and cutting, and more."

Yalt'am is composed of two combat companies and one logistical-technical company. All fighters undergo a year-long training in professional diving. The explosives experts undergo training with a special engineering unit of the ground forces, followed by training for underwater explosives handling.

As providers of professional support and backup for certain cases that can occur far from shore, Yalt'am fighters often join patrols of missile boats and submarines far from Israel's shores.

Yalt'am, established under its current name in 1980, has a glorious history of participation in special operations and Israel's wars. Among other missions, unit fighters took part in Operation Spring of Youth, crossing the Suez Canal and rescuing wounded soldiers during the Yom Kippur War.

The Yalt'am insignia features an octopus, symbolizing the unit's versatility in tackling diverse underwater challenges and its ability to adapt to changing circumstances during complex missions.

In an emotional ceremony attended by Haifa Naval Base Commander Brigadier General Eli Socholitzky, outgoing Yalt'am Commander Oron Inbar completed his role and was replaced by Lt. Col. Matan Bar. The veteran divers of Yalt'am also came to salute.

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The IDF suspended Thursday a senior reservist who stopped reporting for volunteer duty in protest of the judicial reform.

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The decision comes following talks held by Israeli Navy chief Vice Adm. David Sa'ar Salama with the heads of the operational headquarters who announced they would cease their volunteer duty, including the suspended officer, Ofer Doron, who said he "refuses to serve in the army of a dictatorship."

A military statement said that the status of a second rear admiral, who made a similar announcement, may also be taken out of the reserves call-up list for good. Being relieved from reserve duty usually means that you are no longer called up in cases where major hostilities erupt, and if you do choose to join the fighting, you are downgraded in your assigned role.

It added that Salama's decision was approved by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and assured that the headquarters continued to operate "according to plan and without change."

The statement also noted that both officers are over the age of mandatory reserve duty and, as such, performed their service voluntarily.

Nevertheless, due to their yearslong service, the navy came to rely on them in the operational headquarters, and their absence is said to have been felt.

A political source stressed the vital work of the reserve officers and estimated that the way to ensure their return was to build broad consensus on the judicial reform.

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Capt. Ophir Huri made history a few months ago when she was appointed the first female commander of the Israeli Navy's Snapir Unit in Haifa. Snapir is tasked with securing Israeli civilian and military ports and protecting them from threats on land as well as above and underwater. In addition to Haifa, the unit has two other independent branches in Ashdod and Eilat.

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Along with securing ports from terrorists at sea, the men and women fighters board cargo ships and examine them for any signs of terrorist activity. This is a particularly significant threat as terrorists can use the vessels to transport weapons, other terrorists, and even bombs for carrying out an attack. Should Snapir fighters fail to identify such a threat in real time, there will be nothing to stop them from entering Israeli territory and putting lives at risk. Israel's submarine platform is also located in Haifa, which adds to the strategic threat.

Huri completed her Naval Officers Course in 2018. She most recently commanded a Devora-class fast-patrol boat, where she served with dozens of male officers. Around six months ago, Huri took command of the Snapir unit in Haifa, which operates under the command of the Navy's 914th Division.

"The unit is charged with maintaining security of the northern border and ports. This means preventing the intrusion of hostile elements into the port and specific, pointed missions on the northern border," Huri explains. The Snapir Unit unit in Haifa operates as part of Party 914, which protects the northern region at sea. 

"We are on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and perform dedicated missions on top of Tzira [defender-class] boats," she says.

"We operate dozens of male and female fighters, 40% of whom are women. This is a boutique unit that is ready for whatever is necessary. We are always on alert … no matter the time, on holidays, on Shabbat. We're always ready to go on any mission in a matter of seconds," she said.

Asked about her historic role, Huri said: "I'm less of a believer in the glass-feeling concept. In my six years in the navy, I never sensed there was any limitation because I am a woman. From my standpoint, there is nothing unusual about it, and now the time has come to get to work and focus less on the headlines. I understand why people are focusing on it, but I have a dream that we won't need to focus on it at all – that we'll just let integration be something legitimate. I feel that ultimately, objectives were achieved. This is a position for naval officers, and there's no reason I shouldn't carry it out. I hope the day comes when it won't seem unusual and won't be a big deal," she said.

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The first of Israel's new Sa'ar 6-class warships, the INS Magen, is making its way from Germany to Israel, due to arrive at Haifa naval base at the start of December. Its arrival signifies a new stage in the evolution of the Israeli Navy both in its ability to defend critical national infrastructure and in its attack capabilities.

Israel is due to receive four state-of-the-art Sa'ar 6 ships by November 2021 with each platform costing $400 million. The German government is footing one-third of the cost per ship.

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The INS Magen held its commissioning and flag-raising ceremony on Nov. 11, during which the German flag was exchanged for the Israeli flag. The ceremony was led by Vice Admiral Eliyahu Sharvit, commander of the Israeli Navy, and additional senior defense officials.

The corvettes are being produced by German shipyard Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, which has worked closely with the Israeli Navy in terms of ship design.

Only after arriving in Israel will the ships' mostly Israeli-made combat systems be installed before becoming fully operational.

"The INS Magen – the first of four [new] corvettes – will deal with future challenges of the naval theater in the most optimal way. The INS Magen, as well as the other three warships, is a great, optimal and versatile tool to defend Israel's strategic assets in our economic waters," Sharvit said at the ceremony at Kiel, Germany. "This is exactly the reason that we are here today, excited to hoist the Israeli flag to the top of the INS Magen's mast, the symbol of an independent, sovereign, confident and prosperous country. The INS Magen will be armed with the best offensive and defensive systems with the most advanced technological military combat systems, the majority of them made in Israel."

'Basically an arms race'

Their arrival reflects a deep change that is occurring regarding the role of the sea in Israel's national security.

The ships represent a major change in the navy's combat doctrine. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the navy fought a historic battle with Syrian vessels at the Battle of Latakia, representing the first time in naval warfare that missiles were used.

Back then, the navy's doctrine was to use small, rapid vessels that carried short-range missiles and guns. The doctrine called for moving these towards enemy ships at full speed and getting into missile range before firing and sinking the targets.

Yet Israel's enemies had longer-range missiles onboard – a fact that forced the Israeli Navy to employ electronic warfare to protect its ships. The Latakia battle ended up being a decisive victory for the Israeli Navy, and the doctrine proved itself.

That event shaped the navy's philosophy on how to build up naval force for the next 30 years. "We invested in ships that have defensive as well as offensive capabilities. But they were built for blue water [open sea] ship-to-ship combat," a naval official stated in recent weeks.

In the 2006 Second Lebanon War, an Israeli Sa'ar 5-class missile ship, the INS Hanit, was struck by a Hezbollah land-to-sea missile, and the navy realized that it was time for a new doctrine.

"What has changed is basically an arms race," said the navy source. "We understood that Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations have achieved precision-guided missile or rocket capabilities in order to hit targets in Israel on land as well as at sea." The evolution of surface-to-surface missiles meant that land-to-sea missiles had also become more deadly.

Hamas in the Gaza Strip has built naval commando cells designed to raid the Israeli coastline and is digging naval tunnels to give them covert access to the sea.

"Our enemies are building a sophisticated array of land-to-sea missiles," said the source.

According to media reports, Hezbollah is in possession of the supersonic Yakhont anti-ship cruise missile, which is likely the fastest and most advanced available today and has a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles).

'It's like building an iron wall'

Meanwhile, the presence of great powers at sea has only grown in the region.

Alongside these trends, Israel's maritime energy resources have become paramount in recent years. Three offshore natural gas rigs – Leviathan, Karish and Tanin – represent critical infrastructure.

The result, explained the official, is the creation of a new naval doctrine called "brown water warfare," meaning the capability of fighting very near to the shore, and "having the capabilities to defeat our enemies on land."

The value of these capabilities receives an added significance when Israel's position as a virtual island nation is taken into consideration. Almost all of the imported goods arrive via sea lanes. Some 50% of Israel's freshwater comes from desalinated seawater.

Some 90% of wheat is imported via ships, and 300,000 new vehicles arrive on cargo ships to Israel every year. The list of raw materials that arrives via ports is lengthy.

And 70% of Israel's electricity consumption is today based on the liquefied natural gas that arrives at Israel's power plants from the offshore rigs.

"We understood the only way to achieve protection of gas rigs is by using ships," said the naval source.

That's where the Sa'ar 6 comes in. The ships will be fitted with advanced air-defense systems. Each one will have Rafael's C-Dome naval Iron Dome, a version of the famous land-based Iron Dome system, as well as Israel Aerospace Industries Barak 8 air- and missile-defense system.

A powerful radar system made by IAI-Elta, dubbed Adir ("mighty"), will control all of the onboard combat systems. It is able to detect and track a broad range of airborne threats.

"The problem with gas rigs is that it only takes one hit to get the potential damage that you want to achieve. We as a navy cannot allow any missiles, ballistic threats, cruise missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles to get through us and strike any gas rig," said the official. "It's like building an iron wall."

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Electronic warfare systems onboard the ships will also act to disrupt enemy missiles.

Meanwhile, the ships will also be able to share target data with the Israeli Air Force.

Altogether, the source said, these capabilities will enable the navy to defend Israel's economic waters, secure Israeli sea routes and conduct other assignments.

The close cooperation between the Israeli Navy and the Thyssenkrupp German ship makers was a key element in designing the ships, according to the official. "That collaboration is very good. We received a vessel that is tailor-made to our needs," he said. This includes a stealthy design that lets the ships evade radar detection.

Ultimately, the navy believes flexibility is the key to managing a changing environment with new threats. "This boat should handle the threats, and it should do that for the next 40 years," said another official.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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The submarines affair has been much written about and discussed, and it appears that there is a lot of confusion surrounding it. As the former bureau head of the IDF chief of staff and someone who spent three and a half years in charge of all oversight of the defense establishment on behalf of the State Comptroller, I would like to contribute to the discourse.

As part of my work, I held hundreds of meetings with high-ranking officials in the defense and security establishment, from the defense minister to officials in the field, and they never made any claims about anything problematic in Israel's submarines acquisitions. The same cannot be said for other kinds of vessels, about which claims were raised over the Israeli Navy's decision to switch from Korean to German boats.

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The years-long debate about the submarines has to do with the question of whether Israel needs a fleet of five or six submarines. A submarine is a strategic tool, and defining the need for one is a matter of national security that is decided far above the head of the Navy, which is the one that actually operates them. There are a number of operational and logistic considerations that serve as the basis for the question of how many submarines are needed. But one thing is clear: at any one time, only some of the submarines can be in the water, due to a variety of reasons having to do with maintenance, refresher courses for the crew, and the length of operations. Therefore, every additional submarine is significant, and doubles Israel's operational power.

Because the acquisitions are made with Israeli money, rather than American military aid, and money is scarce, there is no doubt an inherent tension between members of the military top brass when it comes to the best use of budget money. An example would be the decision by former Defense Minister Amir Peretz, against the recommendation of the military, to purchase the Iron Dome system, or the prime minister's decision to build a security fence on the Egyptian border – after a long debate that cost us heavily in the form of tens of thousands of illegal migrants whose entry could have been prevented.

The question that needs to be asked in where the seventh through ninth submarines come in, and the answer is that those three are intended to replace Israel's three oldest submarines, which have lower capabilities than the new ones. The argument is about the timing of the replacement and the quality of the long-term contracts. I have not come across any discussion about expanding Israel's submarine fleet beyond six.

As for the sale of a submarine to Egypt, Germany – unlike the US – has no laws that mandate that Israel retain a qualitative edge over Arab states. Moreover, Germany does not need Israel's approval to sell its submarines to Egypt or any other country. However, the two countries are talking, and Israel is doing its best to restrict the sale of submarines to countries it does not want to see gain prowess. If it cannot ensure restrictions of that kind, it wants to secure some kind of benefit, either in purchasing terms or in areas unrelated to submarines but are of diplomatic importance.

In that context, it's obvious that there is, has been, and will be widespread, fruitful dialogue between the prime ministers and their teams, with each side trying to maximize the gains for their countries while eradicating possible dangers. You must understand – if Egypt budgets for a submarine, it will buy a submarine, and the one question is from whom.

The Navy patrol boats are a different matter. After intense background work, the Israeli Navy laid out operational demands to purchase the vessels from South Korea. These boats were smaller than the ones in use. After a time, the Navy changed its mind and made new demands, which entailed buying boasts from Germany that were significantly bigger than the Korean ones and much more expensive.

The reason for the change has never been probed, so even now it is unclear what considerations were behind the decision. The defense establishment should delve into this.

To sum up, there are three different issues here, all three of which have to do with aspects of the dialogue between the IDF, the Defense Ministry, the National Security Council, and the Prime Minister's Office. The world of defense acquisitions is a complicated one, involving vested interests and mediators who stick their fingers in the mix, and sometimes it can slip into criminality. In these situations, law enforcement should be allowed to investigate them in depth to improve oversight and control of the delicate and risky process.

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Essentially, the Health Ministry sought to initiate such a move as early as Saturday, but was blocked by the ministries of finance and economy due to the immense economical ramifications. The decision was not to restrict businesses (including places of leisure), but companies were asked to keep as many employees home as possible.

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Behind the scenes, preparations are being expedited, as the decision to impose a complete shutdown is ultimately forthcoming. The decision will depend on the number of infections and the contraction rate on the ground, which could indicate that the pandemic has spiraled out of control.

In this scenario Israel will transition to a state of national emergency: In accordance with a government decision, management of the economy will be transferred to the Defense Ministry, which will apply special authorities given to it under law. These will include – if and when the time comes – shutting down all places of work in the country, excluding several thousand factories designated as "essential." Only people who work in these places will be permitted to leave their homes. Citizens will be allowed to go only short distances from their homes – mostly to buy food or medicine – and restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather in a specific space and the personal distances between them will be stringently enforced, as is the case in Italy at the moment.

The Israel Police is tasked with enforcing these restrictions on the public. But on Saturday a senior official confessed that the organization lacks the manpower for the mission, and will require the help of the IDF. The IDF would rather not be assigned such a mission, in order to avoid the precedent of soldiers policing cities across the country.

We can assume that if the situation becomes extreme, the mission will indeed fall on the IDF because no other state body can carry out a mission of this scope, and the police will have plenty of other jobs to perform. Preparations for this scenario are already underway, including broad recruitment of reserves or reassigning non-combat troops to policing missions.

In the meantime, the IDF is tightening its protocols in order to prevent widespread infection within its ranks. As reported by Israel Hayom on Friday, tens of thousands of soldiers who were ordered to report to their units on Sunday morning were told to prepare to remain on base for one month. These units include all combat outfits, the air force, navy and intelligence branches, where the majority of soldiers will enter "reverse isolation" – they will stay on their bases, which will be closed off to prevent infection from the outside. Non-essential support troops will be ordered to stay at home.

The army is also preparing to build temporary hospitals in the north, center, and south of the country. These will be activated only if the infection rate spikes and will only be used to treat mild cases to ensure patients remain completely quarantined from the community. Also behind the scenes, the Defense Ministry is preparing to appropriate hotels and hostels across the country and use them to quarantine the infected.

The defense establishment has also bolstered cooperation with the Palestinian Authority in Judea and Samaria and Gaza, with the understanding that this is one geographical unit and that upholding rigorous restrictions in all areas is critical for preventing the virus from spreading. Senior officials lauded the cooperation with the relevant bodies in Judea and Samaria and Gaza, even saying the coronavirus has "calmed the Middle East down" because all countries (including the various terrorist organizations) are now solely focused on stopping the virus.

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The Israeli Navy's submarine fleet was founded in 1959 by Lt. Col. Yosef Dror. It currently comprises five submarines: the INS Rahav, INS Tanin, INS Leviathan, INS Dolphin and the INS Tekuma.

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Navy Commander Vice Admiral Maj. Gen. Eli Sharvit recently decreed that the INS Dragon and all future submarines will be classified as Dakar-class vessels, in honor of the INS Dakar.

Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

The INS Dakar and its 69-man crew were lost en route to Israel on January 25, 1968. Despite extensive searches over the course of three decades, its wreckage was not found until 1999, when it was located between the islands of Cyprus and Crete at a depth of approximately 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).

Speaking at the ceremony, Sharvit said, "Sixty years have passed, generations of talented soldiers have sailed through the depths, providing the State of Israel with valuable strategic depth.

"I can say, with absolute certainty, that there is no unit like Shayetet 7 in the navy or in the IDF. Shayetet 7 is a trump card, at times the only one that can be used in battle, and its operations make it possible for the nave to be present in critical areas."

Fleet Commander Col. Assaf said, "We proudly celebrate Shayetet 7's 60th anniversary. We proudly carry on with the vision, determination and sacrifice Dror set forth for us. Today's fleet is modern and advanced, but we are no strangers to loss. Over the years we have lost 76 of our comrades.

"I hope that Shayetet 7 continues to dream and break new ground and that we continue to be victorious and always return home safely."

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The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said one stowaway was arrested and no casualties were reported in the highly unusual incident, which is not believed to have been terror-related.

According to available details, the MSC Canberra departed Mersin, a port city in southern Turkey, around noon Friday, and was expected to arrive in Haifa on Saturday, before making its way to the Ashdod Port in southern Israel.

Satellite images show that the ship, with 24 people on board, had been at anchor in Israeli territorial waters since Saturday noon, having experienced haphazard movement beforehand.

At around 3 a.m. on Sunday, the ship sent out a distress call, which was picked up by the Haifa Port Control Center, which alerted the police. The Israeli Navy was called in once the complexity of the incident became clear.

A police source said that two stowaways aboard the ship began rioting and had stormed its bridge, where they barricaded themselves and threatened to set the ship on fire.

According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, the navy used drones to gather information and monitor the situation and dispatched naval commandos to search the vessel, in coordination with the ship's crew.

Several hours after the incident began, Israeli naval commandos took control of the ship and arrested one of the stowaways, a Turkish national.

The man was transferred to police custody for questioning. The Turkish consul in Israel is expected to meet with him.

Israel is highly dependent on its maritime shipping lanes, as some 90% of its imports arrive via the sea. The INF plays a pivotal role in defending civilian shipping lanes Israel's exclusive economic zone.

The navy is also tasked with securing the offshore natural gas drilling rigs, as they are clear targets for the country's enemies.

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