Ahead of their move north after two years in the Gaza Strip, the fighters of the 401st Brigade at the Elyakim Air Base joined the Shaked Battalion and practiced a raid on their northern outpost.
From the drone identifying the source of the fire, to the infantry fighters flanking the terrorist squad. This is how the armored personnel carriers prepare for the cold zone.
A tank stands on the hill, right outside the outpost. Nearby - observation and firing positions, a central building, trenches and protected areas. All around are large thickets, small ravines, mountainous terrain. And suddenly, heavy shooting is heard in the direction of the troops' headquarters, signaling: the exercise of the 401st Brigade at the Elyakim Air Base has begun.
"We are going up to take a line in the north for the first time in two years, after prolonged fighting in the south," says Lieutenant A., a company commander in the 401st Brigade, when asked about the reason for which we gathered, "As part of the preparation, we are going up for pre-employment training (PET) at the Northern Command. There are many adjustments that we need to make. Whether for the different terrain, whether for the enemy, or for cooperation with forces with which we operate."