Bravery Under Fire: IDF’s Stunning Defense Against Hamas Revealed
The IDF’s investigation into the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on the Southern R&D Base details a chaotic assault by 35 terrorists and the heroic defense by Golani soldiers, who neutralized 10 assailants despite significant losses. The probe highlights operational failures but commends the bravery of soldiers and commanders in preventing a larger massacre.
Yesterday, the IDF released findings from an investigation, led by Brigadier General Simcha Oren, into the fierce battle at the Southern Research and Development Base during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre, which killed 1,200 Israelis. The probe, shared with bereaved families and base personnel, revealed how 35 Hamas Nukhba terrorists overwhelmed the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, temporarily seizing control. Despite the chaos, soldiers, commanders, and air forces displayed extraordinary courage, neutralizing 10 terrorists and preventing a larger massacre, though four IDF fighters fell.
By 9:00 a.m., five IDF soldiers arrived, rescuing trapped personnel and organizing evacuations. Terrorists set ambushes as they retreated. At 10:30 a.m., the company commander requested Unit 669 pararescue for medical evacuations. A junior officer from the Tactical Command College took command at 12:30 p.m., coordinating a helicopter landing by 13:21 p.m. During a 13:51 p.m. evacuation, an ambush wounded two more soldiers, but combat helicopters and a flanking manoeuvre killed three terrorists by 14:03 p.m. Evacuations continued, with all wounded airlifted by 19:00 p.m. Golani reinforcements secured the base by 21:00 p.m.
The probe noted failures: no early warning, abandoned guard posts, and disrupted command systems. Yet, it praised the platoon commander’s frontline leadership until his death, the junior officer’s initiative, and Unit 669’s lifesaving evacuations. Social media posts on X lauded the heroism, with one user stating, “Golani’s bravery saved countless lives.” The absence of fortified defenses highlighted vulnerabilities, a recurring issue in the 44,000 total casualties since October 2023.