'Like a scene from a movie': IDF reservists share stories from combat in Lebanon

Soldiers, many of which who have spent over 200 days in reserves and recently operated in Lebanon shared their stories with the IDF on Sunday.

Soldiers of the Etzioni Brigade recently completed their first entry into Lebanon and are preparing for their next mission. To prepare for their next entry into Lebanon, reservists trained and completed exercises at the Elyakim Training Base. 

"We practiced fighting in dense forests and nature reserves, with an emphasis on locating explosives and moving from place to place," Staff Sergeant (res.) Andrew said and was quoted by the IDF.

Their activity inside Lebanon had previously lasted for five days and included identifying rocket launchers and destroying weapons, along with accumulating experiences and stories along the way.

Andrew described in the interview with the IDF how he was in Thailand on vacation with friends when he was called up for reserves again following a period of intense service in northern Israel. 

When he and his friends heard that preparations for a ground operation in Lebanon were underway, they flew back to Israel.

"After long hours in the air and a layover in Dubai, I landed in Israel and immediately headed to the assembly area," Andrew told the IDF. 

"The team called me from the bus and told me they had already packed a bag for me and couldn't stop laughing. I joined them at the last possible moment. Within a few hours, we were already inside Lebanon."

When describing moments while serving inside Lebanon, Andrew told the IDF, "It was night, we were in a defensive position, and all around us was total darkness, when suddenly over the radio they announced rocket fire, and we heard the launches toward Israel - one after the other."

"The interceptions flew around us, like fireworks, and then, in a single moment, the alerts on the radio stopped, and the song 'Remember November' started playing. The event was over, and for a moment, it was completely absurd, like a scene from a movie."

Life-long reservist shares experiences

"The magnitude and significance of going in there and fighting—it's something that's hard to explain," Chief Warrant Officer (res.) Avi told the IDF. 

Avi, at 60 years old, is a grandfather and the oldest soldier in the brigade, who has served as a veteran machine gunner for the past decades.

"This is my third war in the northern sector. I was in the First Lebanon War, the Second Lebanon War, and now this one, but the similarities are minimal," Avi stated.

"My extra experience is what sets me apart from the 'kids' here; after all, I enlisted in August '84," he said. "That's why we're here - to give them that push so they'll feel more confident and supported."

Avi and his combat team have served together for the past 30 years, so their bond has long surpassed the military framework. He told the IDF, "we meet up all the time—we travel together, we see each other at events and celebrations, just like one big family. We know each other inside and out, know which guys you should sleep ahead of if you want to get some rest, because their snoring could wake people even in Beirut..."