Home Front Command and ZAKA conduct large-scale urban rescue exercise in Tel Aviv, simulating missile strike on residential building

This week, a comprehensive rescue drill was held in the heart of Tel Aviv, involving Home Front Command officers and volunteers from ZAKA’s elite rescue unit. The exercise is part of a routine series of national preparedness drills to maintain high levels of readiness for emergency scenarios.

The simulation recreated a direct missile hit on a residential building, resulting in approximately 60 simulated casualties and missing persons. Rescue teams operated under complex conditions, working to locate trapped individuals, account for the missing, and provide aid to the injured — all in a realistic disaster setting.

Officer cadets from the IDF’s Rescue Commanders Course participated in the exercise alongside instructors from the Home Front Command’s Rescue School.

ZAKA’s rescue unit joined forces with military personnel as part of Israel’s national emergency readiness program, highlighting the close cooperation between all emergency response agencies.

“ZAKA’s rescue unit regularly conducts training exercises as part of our ongoing emergency preparedness. This type of training proved invaluable during Operation ‘Am KeLavi’ last year, directly enhancing our field operations and ensuring we deliver fast, professional responses when lives are on the line.”