via War is Boring Blog...
Not surprisingly—and which has been graphically demonstrated during the past two weeks—the Israeli invasion represents a huge deployment of the IDF’s ground combat power.Read the entire thing.
The IDF has committed its largest and heaviest ground unit, the 36th Storm Armored Division, into the fight. The 36th Division formerly was based in the Golan Heights near the Syrian border. The division’s three armored brigades—the 7th, 401st and 188th—all are in Gaza.
There also are at least three regular infantry brigades operating in Gaza. The 84th Givati Brigade, the Nahal Infantry Brigade and the 1st Golani Brigade.
Only the 84th Brigade is normally based in southern Israel—it also carries out amphibious operations, like the U.S. Marines. The IDF pulled the 1st Golani Brigade from its base in northern Israel. The Nahal Brigade normally is based near Jerusalem.
In addition, the IDF’s 35th Parachute Brigade and two Gaza Territorial Brigades are involved. This is in addition to a large—although highly secretive—number of commandos. The IDF also has called up a total of86,000 reservists.
Consider this though.
Israel has pulled the cream of its military crop and put it into its fight. They wouldn't have done this without some indication that a wider war wasn't in the cards.....having said that they need to finish this fight, get back the kidnapped soldier and put Hamas in the grave.
Get it done!
This info sounds pretty much correct. Of the SpecOps community, we only know for sure about Maglan operating in Aza (with two KIAs recently) and Shayetet 13 did a publicized operation earlier on. As usual, Artillery and others don't get much mention; but they've been doing yeoman work.
ReplyDeleteOne small clarification: I wouldn't quite compare Givati's capabilities to the USMC. The reason is simple. The Marines have to live at sea, and be able to deploy very far from American shores. Givati is essentially an infantry brigade with a special skill set. But their amphibious landings don't come at the end of long cruises, and they don't have all the fancy amphibious toys the Marines have and know how to use. I don't know exactly what specialized equipment they DO have; but they realistically don't operate on the scope or scale of the USMC. They are nonetheless the only IDF infantry brigade that regular trains for landings from the sea.
i wouldn't discount having the capability though. there aren't many Marine units in the middle east and when you need to be able to conduct a landing...even one that is unopposed and clandestine, its better not to be doing on the job training.
DeleteSol, I agree with your observation. I was just pointing out that Givati's capabilities don't approach the scale or scope of the USMC. They operate in very different theaters. When we went into Lebanon in 82, a brief landing from the sea was carried out by the Paratroops, as they were considered the most flexible infantry brigade at the time (Golani would contest that point).
Deletedifferent topic same subject.
Deletehow would you rate idf units in terms of effectiveness. i know Givanti and Golani are considered good but who's top dog? is the family tradition a big part of the units as i've read? people are talking about joining one or the other because their grandfather and father were in the units....we have the same in the USMC, even so far as going to the same boot camp as your dad.
I'm too long out of the picture to have a current opinion about effectiveness. The competition on that issue, though, was always between Paratroops and Golani. I don't know if family traditions is a *big* part in combat units; but it is certainly a known factor. Some families have three generations that served in the same units. In some families the sons choose different combat units, and have a friendly rivalry over it. That Givati recon officer recently killed, Hadar Goldin, is the son of a battalion commander (not Givati) and went through combat officer training with his twin brother from another unit.
DeleteBTW, don207's comments are really repulsive and stupid. He clearly doesn't know what Hitler, Stalin, or Mao actually did. Or he is incapable of making distinctions. Is there no way you can block him?
Solomon has joined the experts, Adolph, Ho, Stalin, Castro, Mao and Putin with censorship of his blog. Apparently criticism of his lack of critical thinking skills is not allowed
ReplyDeleteOff topic, Ukraine-Russia. Interesting to see how all this new technology like Facebook, Pinterest, cameras everywhere, GPS location,Twitter, Petapixel, etc affects war....and some poor Russian soldier needs to do a reverse Snowden before he is sent to a gulag.....
ReplyDeletehttp://petapixel.com/2014/08/01/soldiers-geotagged-instagram-selfies-lands-russia-putin-in-hot-water/
Hamas will survive the IDF. It might not survive it's own people in the long wrong, but it will survive the IDF because it is expressly organized to do so. Hamas knows it can't win this war or any in the near future and it doesn't care, it is designed for the long game of destroying Israel thru painful engagements that leave Israel isolated and weakened.
ReplyDeleteIf you were watching some punk kid vandalize a car, you'd think the kid was a worthless turd. If the own came along and grabbed the kid by the collar and hold until police arrived, you'd think he was within his rights and the kid got what he deserved.
If you saw the owner start to punch the kid a couple of times, you'd think the kid was lucky it wasn't worse, but the owner was a tad out of line.
If you saw the owner start to punch the kid, throw him to the ground and start kicking him while the kid was screaming and crying, you'd think the owner crossed the line and was now an offender himself.
If the owner kept striking the kid until the kid was unconscious, you'd think the owner had serious issues and needed to be stopped in addition to being prosecuted.
If the owner killed the kid for vandalizing his car, you'd want the owner arrested and charged with murder.
Hamas wants to be the punk kid and wants Israel to go ape-shit on his ass so Israel looks out of control AND like it needs to be stopped.
that is the morale dimension of war and Israel needs to be wary of wading into Gaza, laying waste to everything in an attempt to destroy Hamas lest Hamas suckers it into appearing like it is committing war-crimes. If it crosses that line, then Israel loses support (or the cover of disinterested apathy) and it become that much more difficult to kill off Hamas.
As an aside, let's look at IDF spending priorities.
ReplyDeleteCommitted to spending more on F35s, less on Namers.
Is the IDF making the mistake of offering up 'clean' low casualty' air campaigns rather than hard, dangerous ground campaigns to placate politicians? Have they un-learned the Winograd report?
That will change after the war, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably the lull before the storm. Theres probably back channeling going on with hamas getting 24-48 hr deadline to return the captured soldier or else.
ReplyDeleteThe idf spear head units are probably finalising and disseminating plans and gearing up for the next phase which will probably be even more savage and bloodier. I dont think the israelis should pay too much heed to all the call of restraint and humanitarian concerns. The group which criticises it will always be critical and doing more or less wont change very much.
I personally would just mandate all non combatants to leave gaza city and then systematically target all buildings with heavy weapons. Theres no point in engaging in costly house to house battles with infantry. The infantry can move in to mop up after the bombardment, any one who doesnt heed the evacuation order has no reason to be there anyway.
speaking of civilians. i've heard it put out there that if a group of people elect terrorists as there leaders then they are terrorists too.
Deletewhat do you think of that idea?
I wouldnt go that far, but i would say that the party using human shields and siting weaponry and combatants in civilian areas bears the burden or care and responsibility for the well being of those civilians. More so if said civilians were pre warned to vacate the area.
DeleteIf i were the israelis, i would draw a box in the rural area south of gaza city and mandate that the humanitarian evacuation zone where all non combatants should go to. I would air drop or land by boat water, food and tents. That will put paid to the argument or where are the civilians supposed to go to. It will also allow them to target freely anyone outside those areas.
Sol. so what if you didn't vote for them? What about the children and sick people who can't vote? Do they deserve to be targets as well?
Delete