YALTAM
Yaltam is the Israeli Navy Underwater Missions Unit, specializing in diver operations. The unit was initially established as Unit 707 in 1963 but in its present form it was established in 1981. It is headquartered at the Haifa naval baseBases
In 1965, the area that was formerly used by Torpedo Squadron in Haifa naval base was transferred to Unit 707. The unit's headquarters, the workshop, the dining hall and the living quarters were all situated there. Since the culvert there was suitable only for Shayetet 11 vessels, the unit's men themselves built a pier to launch their vessels.
Two technicians who were also the vessel operators were given a designated area for maintenance, the commander of the unit appointed Major George Golani as chief of maintenance.
During the War of Attrition the unit's numbers grew and its squads were permanently deployed in other locations. The diver squad of the Eilat Naval Base had nine divers who also carried out inspections of civilian Oil tankers. A similar force was in the Sharm el-Sheikh. The unit's headquarters remained in the Haifa naval base. After the Yom Kippur War, a large part of the unit stayed at the naval base in Fanara, west of Bitter Lakes. A squad of about ten people was at the naval base in Sharm el-Sheikh until the evacuation of Sinai Peninsula as part of Egypt–Israel peace treaty.Selection and training
The required medical profile for joining the unit is 72-97 and a special emphasis is put on ears and pressure comparison. Women are also recruited in this unit since 2004.
The main method for joining the unit is through Shayetet 15 and then gradual progress. Before recruitment, psychotechnical tests and medical examinations are carried out and then they have to go on a voyage for two days on a Shayetet 15 vessel, it is not particularly physically difficult, but helps recruiters select the personnel according to their learning abilities, resilience and cooperation. Further training include a flooding room where personnel have to seal a room while it is being flooded, the vomiting boat with high physical stress being put on the body, drowning simulations and psychological challenges.
Then there is a day of medical testing at the Institute of Naval Medicine at the Haifa naval base. The qualifiers are then subjected to a two-day period including maritime training, a personal interview, a psychological and psychotechnical examination of the candidates, and more. Those who show outstanding performance join the unit while the rest join Shayetet 13 or the Snapir unit. These personnel will further have to train for a year.
The second way is outstanding performance in Shayetet 15 and a summon from the higher ups in the Israel Defense Forces. The training of such personnel lasts about 12 months in Bethlehem.
The training course is divided into two parts, each of which lasts about six months. In the first part the personnel are trained in basic seamanship, counterterrorism, advanced diving, use of specialized tools, photography, navigation amongst other things. The maritime training is mostly carried out in mixed gender teams and includes trips, diving at different times of the day and night, swimming, underwater navigation training, prolonged diving amongst others.
In the second part personnel learn professional diving, nitrox, activation of more complex measures under the surface of the water, rescue, detection and search, different command series, sabotage and bomb disposal.
After this soldiers receive their formal combat pins.Equipment
The unit's diving equipment includes various configurations for Surface-supplied diving and Nitrox-supplied diving. Moreover Unmanned underwater vehicles, SONAR, Minisubs and other equipment are also utilized by the unit.History
Retrieval of a Gabriel missile
As a part of a presentation of fire to the Prime Minister of Israel, a Gabriel demonstration was carried out from a beach in southern Ashdod by launching it into the sea, but the missile couldn't be retrieved so the unit was dispatched to recover it. It was the first operational success of the unit. Another missile was lost during a test near Palmachim, again the unit was dispatched and the parts of missile were located and retrieved. The unit was also dispatched for the retrieval of an SS-11 anti-tank missile that fell into the ponds of Kibbutz Ha'on.Retrieval of a Shayetet 13 vessel engine
An engine fell from a boat of Shayetet 13 in Haifa as it wasn't properly attached. The task of its retrieval was assigned to the unit. It was another successful mission for the unit.Construction of Ashdod port
During the construction of the Port of Ashdod, the unit personnel carried out blasting at the bottom of the harbor to remove rocks that were interfering with the construction.When the National Water Carrier of Israel was established, the unit received a mission to locate salt water channels under the water surface. Moreover, the unit was called to establish a protection system for Degania Dam at the Sea of Galilee to protect it against any possible Jordanian assault.Tiran mine search
After the Six Day War, during the Israeli occupation of Sinai, a mine searching team of twelve personnel along with a journalist were dispatched to the Straits of Tiran on June 10, 1967, in two vessels but due to high currents the mission wasn't carried out when water calmed down the search began but no mines were found.Oil well inspections
On July 13, 1967, a squad of four unit personnel were dispatched to inspect oil production facilities in the Gulf of Suez and found them unharmed. Oil production was resumed and some personnel were stationed to monitor the oil wells.Anti hijacking operations
On July 16, 1967, an Egyptian ferry which was hijacked sailed towards Israel and seemed hostile. The unit along with Shayetet 13 raided the ferry at night and discovered it was operated via an underwater cable and was laden with 200 kg of explosives. The cable was disconnected and the explosives were removed. The vessel was then sailed to Israel.Recovery of bodies from INS ''Eilat''
INS Eilat sunk on October 21, 1967, most survivors and bodies were recovered that day. Next day the unit personnel scanned the ship's corridors, finding more bodies and removed equipment pieces so as not to let them into Egyptian hands. The trapped bodies were freed by explosion, two bodies and many body parts were then retrieved.On 1 January 1968 Israeli and Jordanian forces also exchanged fire without known casualties. In March 1968, during the Battle of Karameh, Israelis attacked the town of Karameh, Jordan, the site of a major PLO camp. The goal of the invasion was to destroy Karameh camp and capture Yasser Arafat in reprisal for the attacks by the PLO against Israeli civilians, which culminated in an Israeli school bus hitting a mine in the Negev. However, plans for the two operations were prepared in 1967, one year before the bus incident. When Jordan saw the size of the raiding forces entering the battle it was led to the assumption that Israel had another goal of capturing Balqa Governorate to create a situation similar to the Golan Heights. Israel assumed that the Jordanian Army would ignore the invasion, but the latter fought alongside the Palestinians and opened heavy fire that inflicted losses upon the Israeli forces. The Israelis were repelled at the end of a day's battle, having destroyed most of the Karameh camp and taken around 141 PLO prisoners. Both sides declared victory. On a tactical level, the battle went in Israel's favor, and the destruction of the Karameh camp was achieved. However, the relatively high casualties were a considerable surprise for the IDF and was stunning to the Israelis. Although the Palestinians were not victorious on their own, King Hussein let the Palestinians take credit. In August, 1968 Israeli and Jordanian forces engaged in a battle along the Sea of Galilee involving artillery, mortars, and machine guns. For all these operations, the Unit 707 passed a cable between the banks of the Jordan River for the safe transport of Golani Brigade personnel across the river. The unit also retrieved dead bodies of Israeli soldiers as well as those of militants. On June 22, 1969, an operation was carried out by the Golani Brigade to disrupt the flow of water from Yarmouk. It was decided to blow up two water conveyors and water passages. Seven soldiers of Unit 707 under the command of Nadav Sela participated in the operation along with multiple squads of Golani Brigade performing security, reinforcement, barricading and other duties. The main task of planting the explosives was carried out by the unit and the canal system was successfully destroyed and wasn't repaired till the end of the War of Attrition.Before the start of Operation Raviv Unit 707 in rubber boats carried out reconnaissance missions along the Egyptian coast from the Ras Soder base and gained vital Intel for the operation. The operation went smoothly around 100-200 Egyptians were killed for only three Israeli casualties and after the end of the operation, the unit also played an important role in the evacuation of the force via Shayetet 11 vessels, one of these was stuck so unit 707 personnel moved it back into water by pushing it with an Armoured Personnel Carrier.Egyptian Raids on Eilat
During an Egyptian raid on Eilat on November 15, 1969, a civilian ship High South was damaged and was put close to shore to prevent its sinking. Unit 707 repaired it and it was back into service. Another civilian ship Dahlia was damaged having three holes blown into it but they were in isolated compartments so the ship did not sink. On the night of February 5–6, 1970, the Egyptian naval commando attacked Eilat again sinking INS Bat Galim of Shayetet 11 and damaging INS Bat Sheva, the Unit 707 was engaged in the repair of INS Bat Sheva.