From missiles to drones: How Hamas used specialised units to attack Israel

Saturday’s attack by Hamas was the greatest breach in Israel’s defence system in decades. Palestinian terror group Hamas deployed a force of about 1,000 fighters to stage the most devastating attack, organising them into specialised units, a source close to the group told Reuters. According to the source, they were training in Gaza since the last conflict in 2021, often in plain sight. Some of the operations or training by the units were caught on videos released by Hamas and its armed wing the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. Other footage of the operation came from witnesses. A video released by Hamas’ armed wing shows fighters practising for the operation. It depicts the militants constructing a mock Israeli settlement in order to practise a military landing. However, Reutres was unable to confirm the dates and locations of the videos. **Also Read: Israel announces ‘total siege’ of Gaza: How will people be affected?** According to Reuters, the training would have taken place amid a systematic deception campaign by Hamas, which had convinced Israel that it did not want to fight. Hamas avoided military activities against Israel and was cautious about leaks. Many Hamas leaders were also unaware of the plans, the Reuters source added. An Israeli military spokesperson said Israeli troops were fighting Hamas gunmen at half a dozen points around Gaza, more than 48 hours after the assault was launched in the early hours of Saturday morning. Here’s how they managed to catch Israel off guard. Hamas’ missile unit At the start of the operation, Hamas said it had fired 3,000 rockets in the first barrage. Israel’s military said 2,500 rockets were fired, logging the bombardment at about 6.30 am (0330 GMT). The rockets were intended to cause shock and confusion while providing Hamas fighters with cover to break through the fortified fence surrounding Gaza and carry out the operation. Airborne unit of Hamas Teams of fighters on hang gliders or motorised paragliders, flew over the border and secured the terrain for the main ground assault. [caption id=“attachment_13225912” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City. AP[/caption] Videos released by Hamas showed the unit, with badges carrying the name Air Force Falcon Squadron, in what appeared to be training for the assault. Some terrorists used one-person paragliders and others used paragliders for two people. It showed them training to land at a target with weapons ready. Phone footage showed the moment the airborne unit attacked a desert festival in Israel. In some footage, the fighters could be seen in the air. Also read: Israel’s ‘war’ with Hamas complicated by hostage situation: What we know so far Hamas’ elite commando ground unit This was a 400-strong elite force, which broke through the fortified Gaza fence using explosives to open up gaps so they could infiltrate to the Israeli side. After some crossed-on motorcycles, bulldozers were used to widen the holes so teams could enter Israeli territory in four-wheel drive vehicles. The commandoes attacked the first Israeli defence lines, raided the sleeping quarters of soldiers, and seized bases and the headquarters of Israel’s military operation for southern Gaza, the source said. [caption id=“attachment_13225932” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Israelis inspect a damaged residential building after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel. AP[/caption] Videos issued by Hamas showed the fighters breaching the security fences, with the dim light and low sun suggesting it was at around the time as the rocket barrage. Drone unit of Hamas Drones were used for border surveillance. **Also Read: Israel-Palestine conflict: Where does India stand? Which countries back Hamas?** Hamas released a video showing what it described as drones called Zouari, saying they were the ones used to pave the way for the infiltration. It also released a video of terrorists launching the drones from Gaza. Hamas’ intelligence unit This unit was used to identify the positions and movements of Israeli soldiers and to monitor their headquarters. The source did not provide further details about this unit. With inputs from Reuters