Urim base, attacked by Hamas by mistake on Oct. 7, was unprepared, IDF probe reveals

Although soldiers at the base eventually fought off the terrorists, an IDF investigation showed it was “not properly prepared to handle such a broad infiltration and attack scenario.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

An IDF investigation has revealed that the Urim base, which was mistakenly targeted by Hamas instead of a sensitive military intelligence base, lacked the preparedness for the extensive attack.

The Hamas terrorists had intended to capture a nearby base 16 kilometers from the Gaza border, but took a wrong turn at Urim junction and ended up at the Urim base.

Although the soldiers and commanders at the base eventually fought off the terrorists and prevented them from capturing it, an IDF investigation showed it was “not properly prepared to handle such a broad infiltration and attack scenario.”

“The terrorists carried out a killing spree inside the base until IDF troops completely eliminated them,” the probe said.

“Defense protocols addressed the possibility of infiltration but not the occurrence of an actual breach,” the investigation stated. “It did not account for an attack of such magnitude,” and “drills were conducted only for small, isolated ‘incident response’ situations.”

Col. Asher Benishti, chief of the Home Front Command’s Southern District, carried out the investigation.

The Urim base is considered a “rear base” and outside the jurisdiction of the Gaza Division, which partially explains its lack of preparedness for the extensive attack.

The Southern District headquarters of the Home Front Command, the 414th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit, and Unit 8200 of the Military Intelligence Directorate — also known as Yarkon Base, which was Hamas’s intended target — are each gated and manage their security independently.

The investigation relied on video footage captured by the terrorists, text messages from soldiers, surveillance camera recordings, military radio transmissions, and firsthand accounts from fighters and other survivors.

The probe found that although the attack began at 7:31 a.m., information was exchanged between individual officers, and many at the base were unaware of what was happening.

IDF soldiers continued to arrive at the base, unaware of the invasion, and at one point, a deputy district commander was shot after being mistaken for a terrorist.

In addition, only seven of the 12 posts were guarded at the time of the attack.