Very few, if any, elite counter-terrorism units worldwide can compete with it. Its professional skill, operational prowess, experience, volume of activity, and achievements have made it a legend. Its fighters are the first to hunt down terrorists en route to carry out a terrorist attack or who have fled the scene. It conducts hundreds of operations every year, the vast majority of which are classified. But even the handful of operations that have been publicized is enough to establish its undisputed status as the spearhead of the Israeli security forces.
And it doesn’t even belong to the IDF.
Come discover seven fascinating facts you didn’t know about Yamam – Israel’s national counter-terrorism unit.
1. It is one of the top SWAT units in the world.
Yamam is considered one of the best units in the world for combating terrorism, rescuing hostages, and foiling terror attacks. A delegation from the unit won the “Urban Shields” competition for elite police units two years in a row (in 2010 and 2011), defeating a large number of SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) units from across the US and elite international counter-terrorism teams (from Bahrain and Jordan). The delegation even achieved the highest score ever achieved by a participant in this competition.
2. It’s not military – it’s police.
Although the Yamam fighters closely resemble soldiers from elite military units, Yamam is not subordinate to the IDF but to the central command of the Border Guard. And this means? More freedom of operation within Israel’s borders, policing authority, and the ability to maneuver in a way that the army cannot. The reason for its establishment was one of the most tragic events in the country’s history – the Ma’alot massacre in 1974, in which Israeli pupils were murdered due to a failed handling of a hostage incident. This was the moment when decision-makers realized that Israel needed a designated force to combat terrorism within a friendly and built-up territory, that is, inside the actual country.
3. It has one of the toughest training courses there is.
Did you think that courses in the IDF were difficult? The training course for the Yamam fighters is one of the most demanding in the world: urban warfare, sniping, breaching, hand-to-hand combat, and dealing with extreme scenarios. Only the strongest manage to pass. These are not just physical fitness tests – candidates are also tested for composure, intuition, and the ability to make and execute critical decisions in a split second.
4. It is an entire commando “army” in one unit.
When the Yamam fighters go on a mission, they don’t wait for anyone – they are a completely independent force. The unit has its own breaching teams, snipers, commandos, paratroopers, undercover officers, “monkeys” (combatants who specialize in climbing, surfing, and rescue), technological teams – and even a K-9 team. One of the unit’s most famous dogs is Rambo, a Malinois attack dog that has been specially trained to locate terrorists and assist in taking control of terrorist scenes. Yes, even the dogs in Yamam are trained at the level of a commando combat soldier.
5. It has the most advanced technologies – far ahead of everyone else.
The unit develops and orders special equipment that cannot be found anywhere else. Customized weapons, next-generation night vision devices, shoulder-launched rocket launchers, “rhinos” (drones armed with grenade launchers), and robots used to breach buildings and dispose of explosives – everything that makes operations more precise, more deadly, and safer for the fighters.
6. “Arnon” – the operation that restored our hope.
Yamam has conducted thousands of daring heroic operations over the years, but one of the most dramatic occurred only recently – Operation Arnon. On June 8, 2024, in a joint operation with the Israel Security Agency and additional forces, Yamam broke into the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza and, under heavy fire, rescued and freed four Israelis who had been kidnapped during the Nova Music Festival massacre on October 7: Noa Argamani, Andrei Kozlov, Shlomi Ziv, and Almog Meir Jan. During the exchange of fire, Yamam squadron commander and combat soldier Commander Arnon Zmora was fatally wounded. After succumbing to his wounds in the hospital, Arnon was promoted to the rank of superintendent and the operation (originally called “Operation Summer Seeds”) was named after him.
7. You don’t retire from it so quickly.
While in other elite units in Israel and around the world combatants tend to retire around the age of 40, Yamam continues to utilize its fighters until the age of 57 – enabling them to gain unparalleled operational experience. This is a huge advantage, because there is no substitute for years of dealing with extreme situations and countless covert operations.
The legacy continues
On October 7, Yamam lost nine fighters who were the first to reach the main intersections in an attempt to stop the murderous Hamas attack. Two more combatants died in the “Swords of Iron” war. In their memory, a special stamp was issued commemorating the Yamam heroes.
For the courage of its fighters, Yamam was awarded the IDF Chief of the General Staff’s Citation, and the Israel Police Commissioner’s Citation at least five times. Among the numerous unit fighters who received medals and decorations are the recipients of the Medal of Courage, Major General Assaf Hefetz, Major General David Tzur, and Major General Boaz Goldberg; the recipient of the Medal of Excellence, Major General Nachshon Nagler; and the recipient of the Commander-in-Chief’s Citation, Major General Noam Raz.
The Yamam continues to fight, strengthen its capabilities and, most importantly, protect us, whether we are aware of it or not. So the next time you hear about a foiled terrorist attack, a spectacular rescue, or a hunt for terrorists that ended in their elimination, know that behind the scenes stands a unit of people who know no fear – only a sense of mission.
