The past year has seen a surge in motivation in the wish to enlist in the IDF's Armoured Corps, Lt.-Col. Ya'ali Kornfeld, chief of the Command Battalion in the Bnei Or Brigade, told Walla in a Friday interview.
The Bnei Or Brigade soldiers are often referred to as "the diamonds of the Armored Corps." These soldiers are carefully selected through rigorous screening for commander training courses, with the best advancing to officer courses before returning to lead tank platoons. They are regarded as elite tank fighters, earmarked for promotion.
Kornfeld's desk hangs a photo of his late father, who in 1981 oversaw the induction of the first Merkava 1 tank into the IDF. Over 40 years later, Kornfeld now commands the 196th Command Battalion, equipped with Merkava 4 tanks.
"This past year has seen a surge in motivation. The power of the tank is what makes people fall in love with it," remarked Kornfeld, who has led his troops for the past 16 months.
"The bond between the tank crew and this incredible machine is so close-knit that you quickly come to recognize each other's scent, laughter, and voice. There's something uniquely special about it," he noted.
The battalion is composed of nine companies and operates on two parallel tracks: training tank commanders and platoon leaders while remaining combat-ready. Until three weeks ago, they were fighting in Jabalya for the third time. "In our last engagement, we focused on underground networks," Kornfeld recounted.
"There were significant losses, but I must stress that we didn't encounter any tunnels in the most recent battle in Jabalya. This is a major achievement. It led to the surrender of Hamas terrorists. In some cases, they surrendered in unusual ways—escaping through drainage channels only to be captured. In cases where terrorists attempted to flee, we eliminated them."
After three weeks of fighting in Jabalya, the unit returned to intensive training for future tank commanders and platoon leaders, all of whom had crossed the fence and most of whom had faced terrorists. According to Kornfeld, he never doubted the tank's capabilities.
He only worried as a commander about accomplishing the mission and bringing his troops home safely, he said, recalling an encounter with terrorists in Jabalya.
"I felt more at ease there than I do sitting with you here in the office," he noted, emphasizing the professionalism of the company.
"One anti-tank missile was fired, and the terrorist was killed. Meanwhile, the deputy company commander reported thwarting two more terrorists from the flank," he noted, adding, "The incident could have ended with six of our men dead, but instead, we eliminated three terrorists. I don't underestimate the enemy, but I deeply respect the professionalism of our troops."
The battalion commander emphasized that lessons were gathered from every engagement and incident, integrating them into training programs and sharing them with other battalions in the corps.
He recalled another incident from the fighting in Jabalya. "We conducted an armored patrol with a tank company and engineering forces," he recounted. "One of the bulldozers was hit by an anti-tank missile, all captured on a drone. Within 43 seconds, there was a response: the house where the terrorist was located took a tank shell from 100 meters away.
"In hindsight, we realized the terrorist saw the tank and the bulldozer and chose to fire at the bulldozer. The bulldozer's armor worked perfectly. There were minor wounds, and the tank crew, led by a platoon commander, quickly closed the circle."
According to Kornfeld, the commanders are far from burnt out and, contrary to assumptions, are eager to take on more combat tasks. However, it is clear to everyone that without their involvement in training, the Armored Corps—which relies on tank and platoon commanders—would come to a halt.
When asked about complex moments of command during the recent round of fighting, Kornfeld said: "It's important for us to win and remain human. I saw that in Jabalya. Some of the initial missions involved evacuating the Palestinian population to avoid harming them. You don't train a soldier or commander to guide civilians. You train them to eliminate terrorists.
"Suddenly, you're telling them the mission is different. You explain to them that we do this to allow us to use force effectively, separating civilians to prevent harm. You witness complex situations of soldiers handing out water and kabanos sausages from their tanks. It wasn't a one-time event—it happened almost daily."
Kornfeld believes Hamas's control over the territory has been significantly weakened. "I'm not a politician, I'm a battalion commander," he said, adding, "But you see the statements from Gazans. Those who speak Hebrew show you bullets in drainage pipes. One Palestinian said, 'It wasn't you. Yesterday, when I tried to leave my shelter, Hamas shot me in the leg so I wouldn't leave.'"
"Once we managed to eliminate or arrest terrorists, their fear lifted, and they came out in droves—first a thousand, then 5,000, and eventually 20,000. Of course, this was joint combat with Givati, the 401st Brigade, and the 460th Brigade. It's critical to stay focused. We're not acting out of revenge but to apply pressure to achieve objectives: to return northern and southern residents to their homes, bring back the hostages, and destroy Hamas."
Regarding the reserve company, Kornfeld said, "They're incredible. After four weeks of deployment in Jabalya, leaving their jobs and families behind, reservists came up to me and said, 'If you call us tomorrow, we'll show up.' They feel their contribution is meaningful, connected to the people and the battalion, and they love the country."
October 7 massacre
During the October 7 massacre, Kornfeld operated in the Gaza border communities of Nahal Oz and Magen, where he evacuated the wounded and helped neutralize terrorists along the roads. "I couldn't believe I'd have 26 tank transporters at my disposal by nightfall. We secured the entire southern area and prevented infiltrations through the breaches," he recalled.
Kornfeld also praised the achievements of female tank operators against Hamas terrorists. "They're amazing—outstanding officers with passion and ambition, seven times more than any of us. They're determined to break glass ceilings and do it every day. We're now enhancing their training process to further empower them."
He also spoke about the loss of his friend, Col. Ehsan Daxa, commander of the 401st Brigade. "We'll do everything to ensure he's not forgotten. We'll raise generations of commanders inspired by him."