In today’s complex combat zones—from Gaza to Iran—every video showing a missile launcher, command center, or terrorist operative is vital. To stream these videos in real time with millisecond precision, the IDF relies on a powerful system: Z-Tube.
Launched in 2017 by the IDF’s Maof Unit, Z-Tube functions like a military version of YouTube. It aggregates live video feeds from every camera on tanks, drones, ships, and aircraft across all IDF branches and displays them within 300–500 milliseconds—real-time by video standards. These feeds are crucial for closing fire loops and targeting threats instantly.
But it’s not just live feeds. Z-Tube also records every video captured since October 7 for later review, storing petabytes of footage—equivalent to the memory of about 98,000 phones.
To keep improving Z-Tube, a special team called ZAP (Z-Tube + App) works with UX designers and field soldiers. Their job: meet users, identify needs, and quickly roll out upgrades. For example, during the early days of the war, maneuvering units asked for a feature that marks every camera that filmed a specific location on the map. Within 3 days, the team delivered a new tool: the “Media Library.”
This allows users to draw a shape on the map, immediately revealing all cameras in the area with exact timestamps and video access—helping identify who fired a rocket, from where, and even catch moments of preparation.
During Operation "With Lion’s Heart," Z-Tube use skyrocketed from 800 to over 2,500 users. The team also added multi-stream viewing for simultaneous airstrikes and integrated live feeds from Israel’s road cameras to track UAV infiltrations.
Z-Tube has no equivalent outside the unit. “This system saves lives,” says Lt. Col. A. “Every successful strike or fire loop closed thanks to Z-Tube means we did our job.”