LOTAR
LOTAR (Hebrew: לוחמה בטרור, Lochama Be'Terror, lit. 'Combating Terrorism'), officially designated as Unit 707, is the Israel Defense Forces' specialized counter-terrorism unit within its Special Operations Forces.[1] It functions as the central authority for counter-terrorism doctrine, training elite personnel across IDF special forces in urban warfare, hostage rescue, and close-quarters battle tactics.[2] LOTAR conducts high-risk operational missions to neutralize terrorist threats, protect civilian populations, and secure strategic sites, often in densely populated or hostile environments.[3] Established to address Israel's persistent security challenges from terrorism, the unit emphasizes rapid response capabilities and integration of advanced technologies for precision engagements.[1] While its operations remain largely classified, LOTAR's expertise has been pivotal in defending border communities and countering incursions, including adaptations for regional threats like those along the Gaza periphery.[4]History
Establishment
The LOTAR Counter-Terrorism School, officially designated as Unit 707 within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was established in 1974 in response to the Ma'alot massacre. On May 15, 1974, three militants from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine infiltrated northern Israel from Lebanon, seized control of a school in Ma'alot-Tarshiha, and took over 100 children hostage, demanding the release of imprisoned militants. The ensuing rescue operation by IDF elite unit Sayeret Matkal failed to prevent the terrorists from detonating explosives and firing on the hostages, resulting in 25 children and one adult killed, along with the three attackers.[2][5] This incident exposed critical shortcomings in Israel's domestic counter-terrorism response, including inadequate specialized training for hostage rescue in urban and civilian environments. Consequently, the IDF created LOTAR—acronym for Lohamot be-Terror (Fighting Terror)—as a dedicated institution to develop and disseminate counter-terrorism doctrines, tactics, and procedures across IDF units and other security forces. Paralleling this, the Yamam counter-terrorism unit was formed within the Israel Border Police to handle police-led operations. LOTAR's establishment marked a shift toward institutionalizing counter-terrorism expertise, emphasizing rapid intervention, close-quarters combat, and coordination between military and law enforcement.[2][5][1] Headquartered at the Mitkan Adam Special Forces Base in central Israel, LOTAR operates dually as a training school and an active special operations entity, focusing on scenarios involving terrorist threats to civilian populations. Its formation reflected a broader post-Ma'alot recognition of the need for proactive, specialized capabilities against asymmetric threats from Palestinian militant groups, prioritizing empirical lessons from operational failures over prior ad hoc approaches.[1]Evolution and Key Developments
The LOTAR unit, officially designated as Unit 707, was established in 1974 shortly after the Yom Kippur War to address the IDF's growing need for specialized counterterrorism capabilities amid rising irregular threats in areas like Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.[6] This founding, under initial commander Amos Kotzer, positioned LOTAR as a dedicated school and operational entity focused on anti-insurgency tactics, hostage rescue, and training other IDF forces, filling a gap exposed by conventional warfare's limitations against non-state actors.[1] Over subsequent decades, LOTAR evolved from a nascent prototype into the IDF's central authority on counter-terror warfare, prototyping tactics that informed the creation of later specialized units such as Duvdevan and Shimshon for undercover operations.[6] Its dual role expanded to include real-time operational deployments during peacetime for hostage scenarios and wartime surges, with continuous refinement of techniques like close-quarters battle and rapid response protocols to adapt to persistent low-intensity conflicts, including suicide bombings and infiltrations during the intifadas.[2] Key developments in the 21st century reflected heightened border vulnerabilities, leading to the formation of regional affiliates; for instance, LOTAR Eilat emerged to safeguard southern tourist areas against urban terrorism, drawing on reservists for localized rapid reaction.[3] More recently, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, the IDF announced Lotar Otef in June 2024—a Gaza Envelope-focused unit composed of local ex-combat reservists tasked with securing border communities and countering incursions, underscoring LOTAR's adaptive expansion to community-integrated defense amid evolving hybrid threats.[7][8] This iteration emphasized quick-response integration with civilian populations, building on LOTAR's foundational emphasis on operational learning and tactical innovation.[4]Organization and Structure
Headquarters and Command
The headquarters of LOTAR, officially designated as Unit 707, is situated at the Mitkan Adam Special Forces Base in central Israel. This facility serves as the central hub for the Counter-Terror School, where doctrinal development, training programs, and operational planning for counter-terrorism activities are coordinated. Mitkan Adam also hosts complementary IDF units such as the Oketz K-9 Unit, enabling shared resources and joint exercises focused on special operations.[1] LOTAR's command structure integrates into the Israel Defense Forces' Ground Forces hierarchy, functioning dually as an elite training institution and a deployable counter-terrorism operational entity. The unit's leadership establishes tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for combating irregular threats, including urban warfare, hostage rescue, and breaching operations, which are disseminated across IDF special forces brigades and other security agencies. This authority stems from LOTAR's mandate to standardize counter-terror responses, drawing on real-world engagements to refine methods applicable to both military and domestic scenarios.[2] Operational command emphasizes rapid response capabilities, with LOTAR personnel often embedded in joint task forces under regional or national IDF directives during heightened threats. The school's instructors, typically veterans of high-risk missions, maintain oversight of certification processes for affiliated units, ensuring proficiency in specialized skills like close-quarters combat and intelligence-driven raids. This dual role underscores LOTAR's position as a pivotal node in Israel's layered defense apparatus against terrorism.[1][2]Affiliated and Specialized Units
LOTAR maintains specialized subunits dedicated to advanced training and operational expertise in counter-terrorism tactics, serving both as instructors for broader IDF forces and as deployable assets for high-risk missions. These subunits emphasize niche capabilities essential for urban and irregular warfare environments.[9] Key specialized subunits include those focused on sniping, which conducts a 10-week course emphasizing precision fire and concealment for hostage rescue and threat elimination; underground warfare, offering a 7-week instructor program on navigation, combat, and adaptation in tunnel networks; and breaching, with an 8-week curriculum training soldiers in silent and explosive entry techniques for building assaults, accessible without prerequisites.[9] Additional subunits cover climbing, rappelling, and rescuing (CRR), requiring prior experience for vertical assault and extraction operations; robotics, divided into operational field support teams and instructional groups leveraging technology for reconnaissance and hazard mitigation; and advanced shooting, via an 8-week course enhancing speed, accuracy, and tactical marksmanship for all combat personnel.[9] The Counter Terror Unit (CTU) subunit specializes in core counter-terrorism maneuvers, including high-altitude warfare for scenarios involving elevated structures or aerial threats. Within CTU, the "Monkeys" team undergoes 17 months of rigorous training tailored to high-altitude hostage rescue, threat neutralization from precarious positions, and rapid intervention in complex urban settings.[9] Affiliated units extend LOTAR's reach regionally, such as dedicated rapid response forces stationed in areas like Eilat to counter infiltration and urban terror threats, integrating LOTAR-trained personnel for localized defense of civilian populations.[10] These affiliations ensure scalable application of LOTAR doctrines across IDF commands, with subunits certifying proficiency in areas like bomb disposal and CBRN defense through integrated training protocols.[11]Missions and Roles
Primary Responsibilities
The LOTAR unit, officially designated as Unit 707 within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), serves as the primary authority for counter-terrorism (CT) doctrine and operations across IDF special forces. It fulfills a dual mandate: functioning as the central CT training school that develops, standardizes, and certifies tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for countering terrorist threats, while also maintaining an operational combat role.[1][2] In its training capacity, LOTAR governs all aspects of CT warfare, instructing IDF combat and crisis intervention units in specialized skills such as urban combat, hostage rescue, and neutralization of armed threats in complex environments like buildings and vehicles. It acts as the sole certifying body for CT proficiency, ensuring that operational units meet rigorous standards through intensive courses that simulate real-world scenarios, including high-risk entries and close-quarters battle.[9][1] This role extends to preparing forces for domestic threats, emphasizing rapid response to terror incidents on Israel's home front, particularly in vulnerable border communities.[3] Operationally, LOTAR deploys during wartime for direct CT missions on front lines, conducting raids, intelligence-driven strikes, and suppression of terrorist cells in contested areas. In peacetime, it prioritizes readiness for hostage rescue operations and immediate intervention in terror attacks, maintaining elite teams equipped for swift extraction and threat elimination to protect civilians and infrastructure.[2][1] These responsibilities underscore LOTAR's focus on proactive defense against asymmetric threats, integrating empirical lessons from past engagements to refine capabilities without reliance on unverified narratives.[12]Training Doctrine
The training doctrine of LOTAR emphasizes the cultivation of elite counter-terrorism capabilities through protracted, high-intensity regimens designed to forge operators capable of executing rapid-response operations, hostage rescues, and threat neutralizations in urban, underground, and high-risk environments. Selection begins with intensive interviews and psychological assessments to identify candidates with the requisite mental fortitude and adaptability for life-or-death scenarios, mirroring processes in other Israeli special forces units.[2][1] The core qualification course extends for about 15 months, demanding up to 18 hours of daily activity to instill exceptional physical conditioning, tactical acumen, and psychological resilience under sustained duress. Daily Krav Maga instruction—encompassing hand-to-hand combat, edged and blunt weapon defenses, and offensive maneuvers—permeates the entire program, ensuring instinctive responses in close-quarters confrontations typical of terrorist incursions.[1][2][13] Specialized modules, informed by the affiliated LOTAR Counter-Terror School, cover tactical breaching (8 weeks), underground warfare (7 weeks), precision sniping (10 weeks), advanced marksmanship (8 weeks), robotics for reconnaissance and disruption, and climbing/rappelling/rescue techniques requiring prior proficiency. These elements prioritize scenario-based drills simulating real-world threats, such as infiltrations and active shooter incidents, to minimize operational risks and collateral impacts in Israel's border security context.[9][2] This doctrine integrates Border Police foundational training—initially 4-6 months of basic and advanced infantry skills—with extended counter-terrorism focus, leveraging joint facilities with IDF units to adapt to evolving tactics like tunnel networks and aerial incursions. Operators emerge proficient in a comprehensive system blending defensive Krav Maga with offensive CT strategies, validated through repeated field exercises.[14][9]Training and Selection
Recruitment Criteria
Candidates for the LOTAR unit, designated as Unit 707, are primarily selected through pathways aligned with IDF special forces standards, requiring high medical profiles (typically 97 for combat eligibility), superior physical fitness, and strong intelligence scores established during pre-draft assessments.[15] These criteria ensure recruits possess the baseline attributes for demanding counter-terrorism roles, including endurance and rapid decision-making under stress.[15] Aspiring LOTAR operators, particularly male conscripts, are directed to enlist in the Kfir Infantry Brigade, a common entry point for counter-terrorism and canine units like Oketz.[15] Approximately one week after initial drafting into the brigade, candidates participate in a rigorous four-day tryout (gibush) that evaluates physical prowess through marches, strength tests, and combat simulations, alongside assessments of teamwork and mental fortitude.[15] Only those demonstrating exceptional performance advance, with the process mirroring broader IDF elite unit selections but tailored to LOTAR's focus on urban and hostage-rescue scenarios.[15] The tryout incorporates intensive interviews and psychological evaluations to gauge resilience against the high-stress demands of counter-terrorism warfare, including close-quarters combat and crisis intervention.[1] Recruits must also exhibit discipline and adaptability, as failure rates remain high to maintain operational standards; for instance, even candidates from elite preparatory programs like those emphasizing Yom Sayarot (special forces screening days) may not succeed without surpassing these benchmarks.[16] Women are generally ineligible for core LOTAR combat roles due to IDF gender-specific combat assignments, though support positions in affiliated training may draw from broader pools.[15]Training Curriculum
The LOTAR Counter-Terror School, officially part of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) counter-terrorism framework, delivers specialized training modules focused on urban combat, hostage rescue, and irregular warfare tactics to both its own operators and personnel from other IDF units.[9] The curriculum emphasizes practical, scenario-based instruction led by combat-experienced instructors, incorporating specializations such as tactical breaching, underground operations, and robotics integration for enhanced squad capabilities.[9] For LOTAR operators, the qualification course spans approximately 22 months, beginning with foundational infantry training and progressing to advanced counter-terrorism expertise.[1] Initial phases include three months of basic infantry training, followed by four months of advanced field exercises, two months of unit-specific basics, and two months of navigation in open and urban environments.[1] Subsequent stages feature a four-month squad commander course and a culminating seven-month counter-terror warfare module, which integrates daily Krav Maga sessions lasting 2-6 hours to build close-quarters combat proficiency.[1] Key specialized modules within the curriculum address high-threat scenarios:- Shooting and Sniping: An eight-week precision shooting course teaches speed, accuracy, and cover utilization, open to all combat soldiers, while a separate 10-week sniper program hones long-range engagement skills under professional oversight.[9]
- Breaching and Entry: An eight-week tactical breaching course trains soldiers in silent, efficient door and barrier penetration without prerequisites, essential for building assaults.[9]
- Underground Warfare: Instructors undergo a seven-week course promoting innovative tactics for tunnel and subterranean operations, reflecting adaptations to threats like Hamas infrastructure.[9]
- Climbing, Rappelling, and Rescue (CRR): Requires prior experience; focuses on vertical assault and extraction techniques for special operations.[9]
- Robotics and High-Altitude Operations: Divided into operational and instructional tracks, these employ unmanned systems for reconnaissance and support; a 17-month "monkeys" track (slang for aerial specialists) prepares teams for hostage rescue in elevated or complex structures.[9]