Dim Amor

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit unveiled on August 31, 2026, the first exclusive footage from the innovative and unique training complex of the Eilat Counter-Terrorism Unit, Lotar 7707. Built following more than two years of meticulous planning and preparation, the facility was designed to bring the forces’ operational readiness to an unprecedented level and provide a lethal, precise and rapid response to any threat scenario within the unit’s area of responsibility.

What appears at first glance to be an ordinary building on the outskirts of Eilat conceals a highly sophisticated and advanced complex that serves as a live combat simulator. The facility replicates, down to the smallest details, the terrain and urban environments in which the unit operates. It includes hotel rooms, classrooms, confined spaces and corridors precisely modeled after structures commonly found throughout Eilat and communities in the Arava region.

24/7 Operational Readiness – No Compromises

Before the facility was established, the fighters were forced to train in civilian public buildings across the city, limiting the continuity of their training during peak periods, such as the summer holiday season, when Eilat’s hotels are at full occupancy. The new complex eliminates the unit’s dependence on external facilities and enables continuous, intensive and adaptable training throughout the year.

"We strive to simulate events in a way that resembles reality as closely as possible", explains Warrant Officer B., the unit’s deputy commander. "If you want to train professionally, you cannot settle for four walls and targets. You need the building, the rooms and the surrounding environment to be a replica of the real thing".

The complex was engineered according to a modular design, allowing the configuration of its spaces to be altered and walls to be moved in real time to adapt the facility to a wide range of scenarios and combat environments. It has also been equipped with specialized furniture and advanced audio and visual effects systems designed to place fighters under pressure and immerse them in conditions that closely resemble a real battlefield.

For example, the corridors and rooms in the area simulating a hotel were constructed with a narrow layout, while the “school” section features wide corridors and entrances to classrooms. Other spaces recreate residential homes typical of communities in the Arava region.

"These are small nuances, but they are extremely important to us", Warrant Officer B. explains. "It is important for us to make our training as precise as possible, so that we already know how to deal with these challenges at this stage. Everything is designed to ensure that when the moment of truth comes, we know how to handle the situation in the best possible way".

Human Strength and Multi-Sector Deployment Capabilities

For the first time, the size of the complex allows several combat teams to operate simultaneously and even enables full-unit training exercises, with each force practicing within a designated area. In the future, advanced video recording and debriefing systems will be integrated into the facility to evaluate the forces’ performance and enable immediate lessons to be drawn from each exercise.

Lotar Eilat is a unique reserve counter-terrorism unit composed of individuals who are civilians in their everyday lives. They are classified under a special emergency call-up status and are required to maintain full 24/7 readiness, capable of transitioning from civilian routine to combat operations within minutes. The unit possesses a diverse range of capabilities for integrated operations on land, at sea and in complex operational environments.

In recent years, the unit has expanded its operational reach well beyond Israel’s southern sector. Its fighters have taken part in complex operational activities in the south, in Judea and Samaria, and in additional sectors in accordance with the IDF’s operational requirements.

"We arrive without hesitation and bring our unique capabilities with us", Warrant Officer B. emphasizes.

The new facility represents a significant leap forward in the IDF’s operational readiness and sends an unequivocal message to any hostile actor. As the unit stresses, technology and infrastructure are tools, but its decisive advantage ultimately lies in the quality of its fighters:

"The facility is another stage in our development, but it is not the main thing. We focus on our human capital and on our ability to train our people while maintaining that same sense of mission and purpose".