The IDF’s Judea and Samaria Division held a conference on Wednesday regarding Israel’s newest counter-terrorism initiative, “Operation: Break the Wave.”
IDF leaders discussed the various efforts, capabilities and achievements accomplished during Operation Break the Wave and likened it to Operation: Defensive Shield – the 2002 counter-terrorism IDF initiative that quelled terrorism during the Second Intifada.
Operation Break the Wave began at the end of March 2022 following a wave of terrorist attacks that took the lives of 19 people across Israel.
Over the four months of the operation, over 2,050 counterterrorism operations were carried out, during which over 1,000 wanted individuals were apprehended and hundreds of weapons seized.
“I thank you, all the security forces, commanders, regular personnel, combat soldiers and soldiers, and the members of your families who are at the home front. I thank you for your great efforts and for your contribution to the security of the nation," said the Commanding Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division, Avi Bluth.
Led by IDF Chief of Staff (Lt.-Gen.) Aviv Kohavi, senior officials of Israel’s Central Command, operational units in the Judea and Samaria region and reserve personnel participated in the event.
From "Defensive Shield" to "Break the Wave"
“There are several similarities between Operation Defensive Shield and Operation Break the Wave, but the most central similarity is the understanding that the fate of the country lies in our hands,” Kohavi declared.
The Commanding Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division awarded campaign medals to a number of IDF, Israel Border Police and Israel Police personnel injured during counterterrorism activities amid Operation Break the Wave.
“There are several similarities between Operation 'Defensive Shield' and Operation 'Break the Wave', but the most central similarity is the understanding that the fate of the country lies in our hands.”
IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi
The family of late Command Sergeant Major Noam Raz, an Israel Border Police officer that was killed during counterterrorism activities in Jenin in May, lit a commemorative candle in Raz’s honor, while former IDF soldier Michal Yaskov and her sister, Valeria Yaskov, lit a candle in honor of their father, who passed away during Operation Defensive Shield.
“The IDF has, and always will, reach every attacker, terrorist and attack, no matter the time or place," Kohavi declared.