This week's report that the Israeli Navy has acquired two new landing craft has raised again the question of how vital landing abilities are to the Israeli military, and how capable it is of utilizing them when the day arrives.
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Over the years, the Israeli Navy has carried out a number of amphibious landings on all fronts, including in the Suez Canal during the War of Attrition. The jewel in the crown of these actions came during the 1972 Lebanon War when an out-of-date fleet of landing craft dropped a brigade of paratroopers on the Awali estuary, under the command of Maj. Gen. Yoram Yair. The troops moved toward Beirut, behind the enemy's back. That night, I was in command of the warship that secured the southern flank of the landing, and we provided cover fire for the forces that had just reached the beach. The complicated landed was a success, and made an impressive contribution to the land maneuvers that followed.
After the war, the Israeli navy presented a plan to acquire new landing craft that would replace the outdated fleet, but encountered resistance in the General Staff, which decided not to fund landings, in effect putting a stop to them. Since then, the IDF has barely had any ability to outflank enemy forces through amphibious landings.
Years of knowledge and capabilities went to waste, until the concept of landings saw a revival in 2008. Then-IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazy approved the acquisition of a few small landing craft for the Israeli Navy, ones that would allow landings on a small scale, but enough to revive the idea.
Marine landings are complicated, multi-branch operations that require complex planning and execution, but are achievable. The advantage of sending forces in from the sea, thus outflanking the enemy lies in the surprise, but can also help bring down the enemy's defenses and help shorten and win a war.
The main threats facing the Israeli Navy are Hezbollah's surface-to-surface missiles and drones. The Israeli Navy, which saw this coming, recently acquired Sa'ar 6-missile ships equipped with improved radar systems to detect high-trajectory fire, cruise missiles, and drones and intercept them using sophisticated missiles, providing cover for the forces. Today, the Israeli Navy can attack targets deep inland, and in cooperation with the Israeli Air Force, severely hamper the enemy's ability to fire missiles.
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