Israeli Home Front Command Rescue Brigade Commander Reflects on Complex Missions and Leadership Transition
In Ramla, preparations were underway for the 2025 Home Front Command Excellence Awards ceremony when Colonel Shlomi Ben-Yair, recently completing his role as commander of the Rescue and Training Brigade, was urgently called to a complex rescue operation in Khan Yunis. A building collapse caused by an explosive device trapped a soldier under rubble, prompting Ben-Yair to cancel his attendance at the ceremony and lead reinforcements to the scene. Operating under combat conditions in enemy territory, his team conducted a meticulous rescue effort using night vision and red-filtered lights to avoid detection. Ultimately, the body of a Golani soldier killed in the blast was recovered.
Weeks later, during Operation "With a Dog," an Iranian missile struck Rehovot, where Ben-Yair was stationed as district commander. A Holocaust survivor trapped under debris was rescued alive after nearly two hours of efforts by his brigade’s officers and reservists, an event that deeply moved Ben-Yair and was shared at his command change ceremony. Throughout multiple missile attacks in central Israel and southern cities like Dimona and Arad, Ben-Yair’s brigade played a critical role in rescue and relief, often working alongside local commanders and under challenging conditions.
Ben-Yair’s military career began in 2001 in combat engineering before joining the newly formed Home Front Command rescue units. He rose through the ranks, leading various rescue battalions and training bases, and participated in international disaster relief missions, including the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake. In 2021, he was appointed commander of the Jerusalem and Central District of the Home Front Command, overseeing major public ceremonies and emergency responses.
During the October 7, 2023 attacks, Ben-Yair served as the Home Front Command’s chief of staff, coordinating force deployment amid unprecedented multi-front threats. He later took command of the Rescue and Training Brigade, overseeing multiple operational and training units. He highlighted the brigade’s evolution into an integral combat force in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank, with mixed-gender units conducting both rescue and infantry missions.
Ben-Yair honored the fallen from the fierce battle at Zikim base, where 14 Home Front Command soldiers died defending against infiltrators. He emphasized their heroism and the brigade’s legacy, with training courses dedicated to their memory. As he concluded his command, the brigade was set to split into separate rescue and training units under new leadership. Ben-Yair and his family are now preparing for a year and a half of studies at a foreign military college, with a readiness to return immediately if conflict with Iran resumes.
