Meet the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Patrol, Which Put Up a Stubborn Fight in Nahal Oz
Considered one of the best infantry units in the IDF, the leading reconnaissance battalion of the Paratrooper Brigade saved many lives on the fateful morning of October 7
The fighters of the IDF’s Paratrooper Reconnaissance Patrol were among the first to participate in the battle against the Hamas terrorists who crossed the border fence from Gaza on October 7th.
Along with the paratroopers, Major General (res.) Noam Tibon was one of the first to storm the terrorists. Tibon’s son, Amir, lives with his family lived in the kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the Gaza border. The family was under siege, their house surrounded by terrorists.
Noam hurried to go south when he realized the danger his son and his family were facing.
He arrived at Nahal Oz and immediately joined a paratrooper unit that fought there. "A paratrooper unit went from house to house in a heroic operation to purge the terrorists," he said. "There was an encounter where we killed five terrorists. The excellent forces of a paratrooper patrol went house to house and killed terrorists. I participated in the battle with them and had the honor of being with them, shoulder-to-shoulder."
Brigadier General (res.) Dedi Simchi, and former Fire and Rescue commissioner, recovered the body of his son Guy, a paratrooper. Guy had been on vacation and went south to participate in the trance party that took place at the nearby kibbutz Re’im. When the terrorists arrived, Guy brought friends into the reinforced safe room, thereby saving their lives. He was killed during the fighting.
The Paratrooper Reconnaissance Patrol is considered one of the best infantry units in the IDF, the leading reconnaissance battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade. The purpose of the patrol is to be a maneuvering and conquering force for quality missions, the Brigade’s commando battalion.
The training course is grueling and lasts 14 months. Trainees learn various skills typical of a commando unit, such as small-scale warfare, advanced built-up terrain warfare, underground warfare, and terror engagement.
The Patrol is divided into three platoons, which specialize in counterterrorism, underground warfare, and ambush within enemy territory. Specialties include patrolling and locating mines and explosives, sabotaging buildings, crossing obstacles, and ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ entry into buildings.
The Orev (raven) unit is the Paratroopers’ intelligence gathering squad, specializing in observations and target-marking, accurate missile firing with quality and accuracy, and providing quality intelligence from deep in the field. It is equipped with advanced observation and tracking means as well as advanced camouflage capabilities.
The Reconnaissance Patrol was founded in 1955 by the legendary fighter Meir Har Zion, under the command of Paratrooper Commander Ariel Sharon. The list of wars and operations in which the patrol participated is long and reflects the history of the IDF's wars on all fronts.
In the Yom Kippur War (1973), the patrol landed hundreds of kilometers deep in Syria to damage an Iraqi shipping force that was advancing toward Israel. During Operation Entebbe, they landed on the coast of Lebanon and entered Beirut.
Considered one of the best infantry units in the IDF, the leading reconnaissance battalion of the Paratrooper Brigade saved many lives on the fateful morning of October 7
The fighters of the IDF’s Paratrooper Reconnaissance Patrol were among the first to participate in the battle against the Hamas terrorists who crossed the border fence from Gaza on October 7th.
Along with the paratroopers, Major General (res.) Noam Tibon was one of the first to storm the terrorists. Tibon’s son, Amir, lives with his family lived in the kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the Gaza border. The family was under siege, their house surrounded by terrorists.
Noam hurried to go south when he realized the danger his son and his family were facing.
He arrived at Nahal Oz and immediately joined a paratrooper unit that fought there. "A paratrooper unit went from house to house in a heroic operation to purge the terrorists," he said. "There was an encounter where we killed five terrorists. The excellent forces of a paratrooper patrol went house to house and killed terrorists. I participated in the battle with them and had the honor of being with them, shoulder-to-shoulder."
Brigadier General (res.) Dedi Simchi, and former Fire and Rescue commissioner, recovered the body of his son Guy, a paratrooper. Guy had been on vacation and went south to participate in the trance party that took place at the nearby kibbutz Re’im. When the terrorists arrived, Guy brought friends into the reinforced safe room, thereby saving their lives. He was killed during the fighting.
The Paratrooper Reconnaissance Patrol is considered one of the best infantry units in the IDF, the leading reconnaissance battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade. The purpose of the patrol is to be a maneuvering and conquering force for quality missions, the Brigade’s commando battalion.
The training course is grueling and lasts 14 months. Trainees learn various skills typical of a commando unit, such as small-scale warfare, advanced built-up terrain warfare, underground warfare, and terror engagement.
The Patrol is divided into three platoons, which specialize in counterterrorism, underground warfare, and ambush within enemy territory. Specialties include patrolling and locating mines and explosives, sabotaging buildings, crossing obstacles, and ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ entry into buildings.
The Orev (raven) unit is the Paratroopers’ intelligence gathering squad, specializing in observations and target-marking, accurate missile firing with quality and accuracy, and providing quality intelligence from deep in the field. It is equipped with advanced observation and tracking means as well as advanced camouflage capabilities.
The Reconnaissance Patrol was founded in 1955 by the legendary fighter Meir Har Zion, under the command of Paratrooper Commander Ariel Sharon. The list of wars and operations in which the patrol participated is long and reflects the history of the IDF's wars on all fronts.
In the Yom Kippur War (1973), the patrol landed hundreds of kilometers deep in Syria to damage an Iraqi shipping force that was advancing toward Israel. During Operation Entebbe, they landed on the coast of Lebanon and entered Beirut.
