Historic operation: IDF ship cmdr. speaks about attack on Syrian Navy

"We managed to keep the mission a tight secret, even the soldiers didn’t know what mission they were embarking on," Lt.-Col.Tomer said.

By AVI ASHKENAZI DECEMBER 24, 2024 10:25

View of the remains of vessels in Syria's Latakia port. December 11, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/Salaah Jeaar)

"The achievement was tremendous, and the attack was historic," Lt.-Col. Tomer, commander of the INS Herev, a Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat that carried out naval attacks in Syria earlier this month, shared of the strike.

As the ship departed from its home port in Haifa, the soldiers thought they were heading to a live-fire training exercise at sea.

 "I realized that we managed to keep the mission such a tight secret that even the soldiers didn’t know what mission they were embarking on," said the Lt.-Col.

"I told them that the ship was now sailing deep into Syrian waters, and the mission was to destroy the missile boat fleet of the Syrian Navy," added Lt.-Col. Tomer. The soldiers were stunned. For a moment, they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

"We trained and prepared for combat against the Syrian Navy during our service, though not necessarily in the context of this war," he said.

View of the remains of vessels in Syria's Latakia port. December 11, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Salaah Jeaar)

While driving to base, Tomer received a call from his commander requesting him to take a call from a private direct line. Upon receiving the plan for the attack, the Lt.-Col. expressed surprise, noting, "We couldn’t believe for a moment that this [operation] would happen during our watch."

"We were instructed to head out to sea that same day. By that night, we were ready to strike," he added.

Minutes after the commander's announcement to the soldiers, everyone was already at their stations. The ship sailed northward, passing the Lebanese coast and advancing toward the port of Latakia, the home base of the Syrian Navy.

After hours of sailing, INS Herev was ready for the attack. However, prior to the strike, the ship was redirected to assist the Air Force in destroying several anti-aircraft missile batteries that could jeopardize the Air Force's superiority.

Within minutes, the ship began its precise strikes on the missile batteries. 

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"INS Herev is fully capable of conducting all types of operations—offensive, defensive, and maneuver support missions," the Lt-Col. noted, further stating the ship operated "in defense missions, offensive operations in Gaza and Lebanon, and strikes in Syria."

He added, "In Lebanon, we worked closely with Division 146 to support their maneuvers. We conducted precise strikes, providing firepower from the sea. We're in a completely different place now regarding interoperability and cooperation."

He asserted the maneuver was challenging because troops had "to simultaneously conduct both defense and offensive operations. We found ourselves in situations where, while preparing for an attack, a UAV would approach, and we had to intercept it. The team managed everything in parallel with outstanding synchronization and professionalism. This was the overall experience of the maneuver in Lebanon."

Retreating from the Syrian coast

After the strike on the Syrian anti-aircraft batteries, the missile ship retreated from the Syrian coast and moved into open waters. The plan to attack Latakia was postponed by nearly 24 hours and rescheduled for late afternoon, just before sunset.

The mission was to execute precise missile strikes on 15 missile boats, which represented the bulk of the Syrian Navy’s maritime force. All 15 missile boats were hit within minutes. "They sank and were rendered out of service," the Lt.-Col. said.

"The mission wasn't truly over until we docked at the Haifa port. There, we were greeted by the Navy commander, Vice Admiral David Saar Salama, who personally thanked every soldier," he added.

When asked about the Houthi threat and whether the missile ship crews are preparing for potential conflict in the Gulf, Lt. Col. Tomer replied firmly, "It’s not my role to plan or dictate such missions. As commanders and a crew, we’re ready to execute any mission. The ship is prepared for anything required."