Following the lessons of October 7 and extensive combat experience in Gaza, the IDF’s elite Oketz canine unit is expanding into four specialized companies, strengthening its ability to detect explosives, locate weapons, confront terrorists and help protect soldiers.
By Hezy Laing
At 7:15 a.m. on October 7, 2023, the commander of Oketz, the IDF’s elite canine unit, heard unusual sirens at his home in Rehovot.
He had not yet received orders to mobilize, but after calls and messages from soldiers near the Gaza border made the situation clear, he organized his commanders and sent the unit south.
By 11 a.m., soldiers and dogs were racing toward the fighting in unprotected vehicles, joining forces including Sayeret Matkal, Shaldag and the Naval Commandos.
In an interview with Israel Hayom, the commander recalled: “I didn’t get any order from higher-ups, no one told us to scramble.”
One of the dogs, Nero, was sent into a house with Naval Commando 13 to investigate a possible threat. He exposed two terrorists, took a burst of gunfire and was killed, but his discovery alerted the soldiers and saved human lives.
The incident demonstrated the extraordinary value of Oketz and the risks its dogs face alongside Israeli soldiers.
Four companies, specialized missions
The expansion into four specialized companies reflects the growing importance of canine operations and the need to organize the unit’s capabilities around different battlefield requirements.
Oketz dogs are individually trained for particular missions rather than expected to perform every task.
Attack dogs help soldiers confront terrorists hiding in buildings and other dangerous locations. Their ability to locate and engage hostile individuals can expose an ambush before troops enter.
Explosives-detection dogs use their remarkable sense of smell to locate hidden bombs, booby traps and other explosive devices. Weapons-detection dogs are trained to find concealed firearms, ammunition and weapons caches.
Search-and-rescue dogs have a different mission: locating people trapped beneath rubble or inside damaged structures, where human rescuers may struggle to find them.
Finding Hamas underground
Oketz’s capabilities have proved particularly valuable in Gaza, where Hamas has hidden weapons and explosives inside buildings and constructed extensive underground networks.
In December 2023, the IDF released footage from a camera carried by an Oketz dog exploring a Hamas tunnel network beneath Gaza City.
The underground complex extended hundreds of meters and included command and communication rooms, concrete bunkers, storage areas and water and electricity infrastructure.
The dogs had already scanned dozens of tunnels, helping soldiers identify what was inside before engineering forces entered to investigate and destroy the underground passages.
Oketz teams also uncovered approximately 50 booby-trapped explosive devices and dozens of weapons stockpiles during the early fighting in Gaza, according to an IDF report published in December 2023.
At Rantisi Hospital, Oketz soldiers and dogs discovered explosives and a weapons stockpile, while another dog located a barrel filled with explosives positioned to harm approaching troops.
A partnership built on trust
Established in 1974 with just 11 soldiers, Oketz has developed into an important operational unit supporting forces throughout the IDF.
Its dogs work closely with individual handlers, developing a relationship built through intensive training and constant contact. That bond is essential when a dog and soldier must make decisions together in dangerous conditions.
The technology carried by today’s dogs adds another dimension to their abilities. Cameras allow handlers to see what a dog encounters inside buildings and tunnels, while specialized training enables the animals to detect threats that conventional equipment may miss.
The expansion into four specialized companies reflects the growing demands placed on Oketz. Its dogs are no longer simply accompanying soldiers into battle; they are helping uncover threats, investigate underground networks and give Israeli forces a valuable advantage before entering dangerous territory.
