New Judea Brigade Commander Completes First Drill on Command, Defense and Attack Scenarios

The incoming commander of the Judea Brigade, Col. D., has completed his first brigade-level exercise since taking office, focusing on command and control. The drill, held over the past few days, was designed to test how the brigade commander and the staff officers who support him manage operational incidents in the sector.

The exercise included a wide range of defensive scenarios across the brigade area, alongside offensive actions and pursuit of contact against different threats. Forces were also required to handle changing situations and respond to several incidents at once. Battalion commanders operating in the area took part, as did security coordinators from nearby communities and special units the brigade could activate in an emergency.

Participants practiced cooperation among all the relevant forces, with the goal of improving readiness and ensuring a fast, effective response to any scenario. Officers said that even when many scenarios are rehearsed, commanders must constantly think ahead to the next development and to unexpected events. They stressed that advance preparation and pursuit of contact are central to mission success.

Special forces teams also operated during the drill, and the importance of matching the right units to the right task in the field was highlighted. The participants said battalion-level cooperation is one of the brigade’s main challenges, because large-scale incidents can focus attention on one point while leaving other areas uncovered unless coordination is maintained. At the end of the exercise, Col. D. said, “The brigade exercise has supreme value as I enter the role, command and control over the forces in the field must be precise in order to provide a response to the residents.” He added that moving from fighting in the Gaza Strip to commanding a brigade in the West Bank is noticeable, and that he is deepening his understanding of offensive operations against terror in Judea and Samaria, alongside the importance of dialogue with the settlement community. He concluded, “In the exercise and in real time I surround myself with people and officers who understand their profession and the mission, our cooperation is a force multiplier.”