Hajj Ridwan: Always Present from Planning and Simulation to Implementation

Yasser Rahhal

Careful planning and maneuvering that took nearly half a year was conducted in all seasons to simulate the geography of the target area with its topography, landmarks and all natural and artificial barriers.

As usual, when a decision was made to carry out an operation of this magnitude, he did not leave the field. He followed up on and planned the recent simulation, even personally scouting the place of execution in spite of all the risks that came with such an incursion to point zero.

In the scenes of the last drill before the execution, the leader of the resistance and its heart Hajj Imad Mughniyah can be seen directing, guiding and correcting. He is with Hajj Qassem, martyred leader Khaled Bazzi, the engineer of qualitative operations. Who among us does not remember the recording of the Saf al-Hawa operation and martyr Malak, martyr Salah Ghandour, as both murmur supplications for the operation to succeed.

This is the final drill for the Khallet Wardah operation, taking place in the presence of the military commander of the resistance, Hajj Imad Mughniyah. He gave his final instructions and was assured of the readiness of the squad before heading to the scene of the operation.

It’s 8:40 AM on July 12, 2006. The Israeli [military] positions surrounding Khallet Wardah were shelled by a diversionary bombardment. The rockets were fired at the lead Humvee first then the second.

Members of the squad assigned to capture the soldiers moved in accordance with their assigned roles. The first armored vehicle was the target of the operation. The monitoring squad spotted one of the soldiers (Weinberg) who survived the attack and fled the vehicle, having suffered serious injuries. It was possible to pursue him, but that would be a departure from the plan. The capturing squad headed towards the Humvee and captured two soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, who were later found dead.

It was over at 9:04 AM. Even before the enemy army’s leadership knew the details of the operation, the resistance fighters, along with Goldwasser and Regev, were already in a "safe and distant place".

(*) The photos are from a video of the war media

Source: Al-Ahed News