
Deputy Yishai Yamin, commander of IDF 52nd Battalion, shares insights from the forward command post in the heart of the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza about the battalion's intelligence unit and its continuous drone operations.
"We gather information with the intelligence officer and analyze it, identify terrorists approaching the battalion, and eliminate them," he says, noting that drones are indeed one of the factors actively changing the nature of the war. Their operation, Yamin states, practically neutralizes the relative advantage Hamas had inside Gaza.
"The element of surprise is the only advantage they have over us. We deny them their relative advantage," says Yamin, recounting the night of the planned mass escape of terrorists from the refugee camp where the battalion is stationed.
"Early identification by the relevant tools alongside the air force allowed for incriminating terrorists, including senior ones, some hiding their weapons in bags, as they approached IDF forces."

Yamin emphasizes the importance of continuous operations 24/7 by the intelligence unit as a central factor in maintaining the battalion's soldiers' security. "We protect the battalion, even when the battalion goes to sleep or goes out to attack, there are always eyes in the sky searching and hunting," he says, describing the integration of additional advanced technologies from the civilian market that become part of the defense and attack systems of the combat forces on the ground.
As a commander, Yamin admires the soldiers who have been stationed in the Gaza sector since the beginning of the war and continue to fight tirelessly: "We keep moving forward. The soldiers here are top-notch, having endured hardships during this war. They've been in Gaza since October 27, 2023, and we are already in 2025, yet they are still here and will not stop until we achieve victory."
Yamin concludes his message with his soldiers by sending blessings for the success of the IDF forces, the return of the hostages, and "peace through strength, not through submission to the enemy. Even if victory is far off, we will be here until we win."
