IDF Intelligence Chief Recounts Yom Kippur War Reconnaissance Mission

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Yehuda Shefer, who was a reconnaissance pilot, recounted a perilous intelligence-gathering mission he undertook during the opening days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. More than 50 years later, Shefer shared his experience with current intelligence officers, describing how he was personally tasked by the Chief of Staff for a special mission over the Suez Canal.

During the mission, Shefer's aircraft was hit by an Egyptian missile over Sinai. He survived the incident in an extraordinary manner, the details of which were not elaborated upon in the provided text. The article highlights his survival against all odds and his subsequent role in sharing his experiences with the intelligence corps of 2026, emphasizing the lessons learned from past intelligence failures.

Shefer's personal account, reportedly including the statement "Yehuda, my intelligence collapsed," underscores the critical nature of intelligence gathering and the severe consequences of its failure, particularly in the context of the Yom Kippur War. His mission was aimed at uncovering the truth behind the intelligence failures that plagued the IDF at the war's outset.