Imagine the following situation: A team of fighters is operating in a complex area in the heart of the Gaza Strip, and suddenly, out of the corner of the eye, a terrorist emerges from under a carpet. But before he can even pull the trigger, he's neutralized. This is just one of many stories experienced by Paratroopers' snipers in recent months. We heard from 3 of them what they see with one eye - behind the scope.
Deep in the Gaza Strip, hundreds of meters from the target, a fighter sits silently - leaning forward to the weapon's sight. The environment is dense and complex, but he's focused on the trigger, knowing he must hit the target precisely - and at the right time. In today's reality, the role of snipers in the IDF is more critical than ever.
For months, paratroopers' snipers have been saving their brothers-in-arms with fire and advancing important operational goals in the war. Like their comrades in the brigade, Sergeant Y, Sergeant R, and Sergeant A, who left Gaza last week, have unique stories about activities they'll never forget.
"We sat in position for a few days and initially didn't identify anything," Sergeant R begins, "until one morning, I spotted a suspect 400 meters away on a roof with binoculars and a phone. A second after receiving confirmation that it was a terrorist, I fired and hit him precisely." The next day, the paratrooper learned that the eliminated target was equivalent to a company commander rank.
The Third Eye in the Field
Sergeant A had one day where he managed to save fighters' lives in the field twice. "It was at eight in the morning," he recalls, "I'm in position observing, and a man holding a Kalashnikov appears in my sight." The terrorist initially escaped the team's fire, but the sniper immediately directed Zik operators who attacked him along with four other armed men - who were planning to harm the force.
As part of their role, snipers also serve as a third eye in the field, not just another firing position. A high location provides a wide field of view, and a side position relative to the forces opens a new angle for anyone the sniper will contact on the radio.
Four hours after the incident where five terrorists were eliminated, Sergeant A watched the same area and spotted an armed man emerging from under a carpet, 70 meters from a Paratroopers team. "I immediately alerted my officer, and the moment he approved, we fired and eliminated him. These are moments you don't forget because it's about the lives of your friends."
Much More Than Pulling the Trigger
From an outside perspective, these stories might sound quote simple- it's just a few seconds of aiming and pulling the trigger. The truth is totally different though– it's the result of extensive training, meticulous attention, and countless variables that could cause an elimination to go wrong.
The first is identification: How do you know the person appearing in your sight is a terrorist? "It's important to pay attention to behavior: someone sitting and observing an area, with a weapon, vest, or explosives - is suspicious."
The second obstacle is the complex and dense terrain, where snipers are expected to perform the most precise shots. "There's no question - it's complex," admits Sergeant A, "but we reach this point after extensive training. We conduct specialized ranges to prepare, including firing on the sniper rifle while simulating various situations, diverse lighting, and every type of target that might stand against us."
"At That Moment, You Disconnect - Only Muscle Memory"
There's no doubt that the sniper's role is also mentally challenging. In a few seconds, they must perform an action that could determine the fate of their battalion comrades, requiring unparalleled resilience. Therefore, as the three testify - at the moment of firing, they disconnect from everything. "When you're in the sight, there's no emotion," shares Sergeant R, "only muscle memory."
As part of the activity in Gaza, sniper teams are divided into units of about five fighters, so that each company has its own supporting force. "These four guys with you become your whole world," smiles Sergeant R, "you do everything together: eat, laugh, sleep, and take positions. This is what keeps us going in every activity, especially when we're with teams we know less, or after an extended period in Gaza."
Despite all the challenges, the three snipers are overwhelmed by the great significance the mission brings. "When I'm lying in position, I know I can neutralize a terrorist who wants to harm my friends, before he even thinks about it," says Sergeant Y, and Sergeant A fully agrees: "Sometimes we hear conversations of fighters saying there's a sniper with them in the battalion, and because of this, they feel safer. There's no more amazing feeling than that."