Amongst the numerous security failures by Israel that otherwise could’ve prevented the October 7 massacre, one aspect of Israel’s security that hasn’t been discussed at length is the Israeli Air Force.
Only a pair of combat helicopters were on standby that fateful day and were only located in the Ramat David kibbutz in northern Israel, according to Walla. The commander stationed didn’t participate in that nightly consultation.
Israel will also consider increasing the number of anti-aircraft guns again, the report said, as it states that the combat helicopters are more effective than UAV drones, as the former has a pilot to better guide the aircraft, being in contact with the commander in the field to meet their immediate needs using the powerful cannon that the helicopter is equipped with.
Some of the first IAF craft to arrive in the Gaza area and its surrounding communities were at around 7:30 a.m. when UAVs were sent to the scene. However, there were only a few and estimates state that about 3,500 terrorists were attacking the communities bordering Gaza, so the small amount of IAF aircraft did not have a big influence in the beginning. The helicopters were also extremely limited in their armament.
What about the fighter jets?
The only thing missing was Israeli fighter jets arriving at the scene. The Air Force has hundreds of fighter jets. The first combat formation of planes was not launched until half past six in October. They flew to the strip, patrolled over it, circled over the sea, and returned to base when they ran out of fuel. They did not understand what was happening and did not know what to do, the report said. No one in the IDF’s chain of command knew how to ask them for help, direct them to action, establish contact with them, and direct them.
It turned out that the IAF did not have an action plan for a large-scale incident such as what happened on October 7. Unlike Israel’s ground forces, which are used to operating in chaos and do not need precise activation. No one on the ground was able to properly communicate with the Air Force.
All the IDF soldiers belonging to special units and the infantry who were in their homes on Saturday morning took the initiative, put on uniforms, grabbed their weapons and vests, and went south toward the Hamas massacre. The Air Force does not have such a practice.
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