The Israeli army revealed the role of the “858th Communications Battalion” (known as “Etanim” and affiliated with the “Hoshan” military unit), explaining its participation in secret operations that extended deep into Lebanon and Syria, and included the transfer of communications systems and equipment amid high field risks, and extensive military and logistical escort.
The battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel “Sh,” explained in a report by journalist Avi Ashkenazi published by “Maariv” newspaper, that the unit’s activity has expanded significantly over the past three years, especially in the last year and a half, to include the borders and beyond, stressing that the battalion provides the necessary infrastructure to deploy advanced systems, including jamming and attack systems, and to secure communication for invading forces via “black and red networks.”
For her part, the commander of the Northern Company, Captain “A” – responsible for work in southern Lebanon and the buffer zone in Syria – indicated that her company supports about 170 communications facilities. She led the last operation that required crossing the border, noting that the unit worked to deploy communication capabilities during control of Beaufort Castle to ensure continuity of command and control for the Northern Command along the highlands and the Mount Hermon region. She explained that the nature of the tasks led to raising the combat efficiency of the members, providing them with protective equipment and tactical helmets, and subjecting them to specialized training every six months.
The report touched on the repercussions of the October 7, 2023 attack, noting that Hamas targeted the communications infrastructure, which led to the isolation of the Gaza Division and caused its collapse. The battalion commander stated that the unit’s members moved that day to repair the damaged sites, and made a radical change in their working methods to make communications networks more resilient to similar attacks.
The Israeli military establishment is working to confront attempts by Hezbollah and Hamas to target or penetrate communications networks, in parallel with a global technical race in the fields of artificial intelligence and electronic capabilities. Work is underway to fortify and camouflage the systems to prevent detection.
The battalion commander concluded by emphasizing the centrality of the unit’s role as “the communications company of the Israeli army,” stressing that any party wishing to deploy its systems needs to be linked to the battalion’s networks, which cover operations inside Israel, in Lebanon, the West Bank, Syria, and other locations that cannot be disclosed.
