Centralized Special Unit / Israel's National Counter-Terror Unit
YAMAM ימ"מ
Yamam officers in full gear during raid training, armed with M4A1 rifles and operating police dog (K9)
Active1974–present
Country Israel
Agency Israeli Police
TypePolice tactical unit
RoleDomestic counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and law enforcement
Part of Israel Border Police
Mottoאֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם, וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם
Structure
Operators~ 200 officers
Notables
Significant operation(s)First Intifada
Second Intifada
October 2023 Gaza−Israel conflict

Yamam (Hebrew: יחידה מרכזית מיוחדת, romanized: Yeḥida Merkazit Meyuḥedet; Special Central Unit), also known as National Counter-Terrorism Unit, is Israel's national counter-terrorism unit, one of four special units of the Israel Border Police. The Yamam is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against terrorist targets in civilian areas. Besides military and counter-terrorism duties, it also performs tactical unit duties and undercover police work.

History

YAMAM operators in a special visit by Israeli officials, 2017
YAMAM snipers with Barrett MRAD and ghillie suits during a counter-terror/hostage-rescue demonstration in the Israeli Border Police's training base.

The Yamam was established in late 1974 after the Ma'alot massacre, where a failed rescue operation by special forces units resulted in the murder of 21 schoolchildren before the hostage takers were killed. Since hostage rescue tactics in friendly territory differ from those used in hostile areas, it was decided to establish an elite civilian force which develops and practices a special CQB (Close Quarters Battles) doctrine for counter-terrorism operations in friendly territory and hostage rescue.

Operational record after the Second Intifada

On May 23, 2006, YAMAM force, using intelligence provided by the Shin-Bet, arrested Ibrahim Hamed after an IDF Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer started ramming the house in which he was hiding.[1] On September 23, 2014, YAMAM force, together with Israel Defense Forces Combat Engineering Corps bulldozers, killed the two Hamas members accused of killing three Israeli teens in June 2014.[2]

Operational record during Operation Breakwater (2022-2023)

On April 2, 2022, YAMAM operators killed 3 Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants, reportedly on their way to an attack.[3] On August 19, 2022, YAMAM operators killed Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, a commander of the Lions' Den militant group.[4][5] On October 25, 2022, YAMAM led a combined raid (with the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet) on what the IDF said was the Lions' Den headquarters and bomb lab in Nablus.[6] On January 26, 2023, YAMAM led a combined raid (with the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet) on Jenin refugee camp, which the IDF said was targeted against members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad who were planning an attack. Nine Palestinians were killed in the attack, including an unarmed civilian.[7]

Honors

The unit received number of honor citations (TZALASH, ציון לשבח) from the Commissioner of the Israeli Police: 2011,[8] 2014,[9] 2016,[10] 2020,[11] and 2022.[12]

In 2022 the unit received an honor citation from the Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff (צל"ש הרמטכ"ל) for their fighting during Operation Breakwater.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Harel, Amos (May 23, 2006). "IDF arrests most-wanted Hamas bomb mastermind in West Bank". Haaretz. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  2. ↑ לוי, רון בן ישי ואליאור (September 23, 2014). "החשבון נסגר: ישראל חיסלה את רוצחי הנערים". Ynet. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2023 – via www.ynet.co.il.
  3. ↑ יהושוע, יוסי; אל-חי, ליאור (April 2, 2022). "מפקד הפלגה הוותיק מהימ"מ נפצע קשה בחיסול המחבלים: "עם ישראל חייב לו הרבה"". Ynet.
  4. ↑ "N12 - המחבל איבראהים א-נאבולסי חוסל על ידי לוחמי צה"ל וימ"מ בשכם". August 9, 2022. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. ↑ זיתון, יואב; קימון, אלישע בן (August 9, 2022). "3 שעות קרב בלב הקסבה: טילי מטאדור שוגרו למבנה שבו שהה המחבל". Ynet.
  6. ↑ קימון, אלישע בן; חלבי, עינב (October 24, 2022). "מבצע לילי בלב שכם: הושמדה מעבדת המטענים של גוב האריות, 5 חמושים נהרגו". Ynet.
  7. ↑ "Nine Palestinians killed by Israeli troops in Jenin clash". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  8. ↑ מחלקים עיטורים: המשטרה עושה כבוד לימ"מ (Hebrew), ynet, 2011-04-06.
  9. ↑ Announcement in the Israeli Police website, 2014.
  10. ↑ ‏התפרסמה רשימת מקבלי העיטורים והצל"שים של משטרת ישראל (Hebrew), Israel HaYom, 2016.
  11. ↑ מפקד הימ"מ: הקורונה מעסיקה את המשטרה, ואנחנו נלחמים בפשיעה (Hebrew), Walla!, November 2020.
  12. ↑ "טקס הענקת עיטורים וציונים לשבח במשטרת ישראל 2022".
  13. ↑ על פעילותן במבצע "שובר גלים": היחידות והגדודים שיקבלו צל"שים, תעודות הצטיינות והערכה - הרשימה המלאה, IDF website, November 2022 (Hebrew).
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