The Israel Defense Force has formed a new reserves combat battalion that will take its place among the forces confronting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group at the northern front.
The battalion is called the “Gates of Fire” – in Hebrew, Sha’ar Ha’Esh’ – and is to be part of the first line of defense protecting Israeli communities near the northern border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has claimed more than once that he is planning to send his forces to cross that border and conquer parts of Israel’s northern Galilee region and the communities living there.
The cross-border attack tunnels dug by the terror group infiltrating Israeli territory from Lebanon, uncovered by Israeli military forces and neutralized these past weeks during the recent Operation Northern Shield, provide ample evidence that Nasrallah wasn’t kidding.
The interior of the first few tunnels – deliberately exposed and shown to media – were more than eight feet wide and eight feet high – made it clear that Nasrallah was planning to send entire platoons through the tunnels and under Israel’s border to invade the northern Galilee in a future war.
The ‘Gates of Fire’ battalion will serve under the IDF ‘Baram’ Brigade that guards the region, and will be the force to stop them.