Intense maneuvers through a narrow urban battlefield under heavy gunfire — This is the scene in rare combat footage from the helmet camera of an Israeli counter-terrorism commando from the operation to arrest terrorist Ibrahim al-Nabulsi in Nablus on Tuesday morning.
"Throughout long hours, starting Monday evening, Yamam warriors operated against a wanted terrorist operative who carried out a long series of terrorist attacks," said Border Police commander Amir Cohen on Tuesday evening. "This morning with bravery, professionalism and determination they entered into the heart of Nablus's kasbah."
Here's how the operation happened:
- 05:30 — Intelligence was received by the defense services on the location of the wanted man — al-Nabulsi —hiding in an apartment in the old city of Nablus. Yamam, the Israeli Border Police's special counter-terrorism unit, was tasked with the mission of bringing him in.
"The Shin Bet's intelligence was exact and the force prepared a plan that created massive pressure on the building while surgically cutting off the terrorists' escape routes," said Cohen.
- 06:05 —An undercover Yamam force arrived at the apartment, located in a five-story building. Minutes after, the main Yamam force arrive and surrounded the building. The team ordered al-Nabulsi to exit the apartment with his hands up and without a weapon. At this time, the wanted man opened fire from one of the windows at the commandos, who returned fire.
- Within a few minutes, a large group of armed Palestinians approached the entrance. IDF soldiers from the Givati and Nachal reconnaissance units repelled them using anti-riot and live munitions.
- 7:15 — The forces fired at the apartment to pressure al-Nabulsi into turning himself in, but he and another terrorist replied only with gunfire of their own.
- 8:15 —With multiple failed efforts to push al-Nabulsi into giving up, an anti-tank missile was fired into the building, causing a pillar of smoke to rise over the site. Still, Nabulsi refused to relent and continued firing at the Israeli forces.
- 8:20 —A report came in that a Palestinian teenager was injured by Israeli fire in the area.
- 8:35 —A Yamam military service dog, Zili, was sent toward the building to confirm Nabulsi's death in combat. As Zili approached the apartment, other terrorists opened fire, hitting the dog — and killing him.
"Unfortunately we lost Zilli, man's best friend who was also a brave warrior," said Cohen.
- 9:00 —IDF forces launched a massive volley of fire into the apartment, including another anti-tank missile — Killing both Nabulsi and his partner.
Searching the apartment, the commandoes found weapons, including explosive devices, which had been thrown at the soldiers during the battle.
"During a heavy exchange of fire, the Yamam fighters acted with great resourcefulness and succeeded in the mission," said Cohen. "The forces of the Border Guard, Shin Bet and IDF will continue to act at every point in Judea and Samaria against terrorist operatives to maintain the safety of the citizens of Israel."
Rare IDF combat footage
The footage of the Nablus operation, released by the Israel Border Police Spokespersons Unit, shows Yamam, Shin Bet and IDF commandos dashing through the kasbah, clad in combat vests and helmets, and armed with M4 carbines with suppressors.
Highlights of the sneak peek into the operations of the counter-terrorist specialists includes an exchange of fire with terrorists through a blown-out wall in a building, and a fighter shooting as he advances through an alley.
In the video, Zilli can be seen running alongside his comrades. The Border police called him a "hero dog," who had served for years in hundreds of missions.
"In 2019, Zili entered a multi-story building in Ramallah and found and overpowered the terrorist who killed Ori Ansbacher until the counterterrorism unit arrived to arrest him," noted Chief of Israel Police Kobi Shabtai.
Zili was buried and given his final respects by the Yamam soldiers he serve alongside on Tuesday night.
The target of the operation
Al-Nabulsi was a terrorist involved in a string of attacks on Israelis. His operations included a shooting at Joseph's Tomb in June, which injured two civilians and an IDF commander.
He evaded arrest multiple times, and in February it was thought that he had been killed by IDF forces along with three other terrorists in his cell — But he had survived.
“The operation to eliminate the terrorist Ibrahim al-Nablusi is a success," Commander of the IDF’s Samaria Regional Brigade Col. Roi Zweig, stated on Tuesday afternoon. "We will not allow there to be cities of refuge in Judea and Samaria. We will put our hands on every terrorist and we will go wherever we are required.”