From Chaos Zone to Data Lab: 'A Family Was Found in a Destroyed Building According to Our Data'

Lt. Col. N., head of the Information Gathering and Extraction Branch at the Home Front Command, reveals in a rare interview the unit's work: building digital target files, directing rescue forces to impact sites, analyzing public resilience and anxiety, and dealing with fake videos. The unit helped locate a family in a destroyed building and locate cluster bombs during Operation 'Lion's Roar'.

In a rare and unprecedented interview, Lt. Col. N., commander of the Information Gathering and Extraction Branch (Agamim) at the Home Front Command, describes how the unit turns destruction sites into an 'operational data lab'. The branch, which numbers about 30 young soldiers and grows to about 50 reservists in emergencies, produces digital 'target files' for every impact event, including data on the extent of damage, building residents, and potential harm. The files are sent directly to commanders' screens in the field, enabling rescue forces to operate efficiently and accurately. N. recounts a case where forces located a family in a destroyed building guided by the unit's information, and directing forces to locate cluster bombs during Operation 'Lion's Roar'. The unit also analyzes public resilience by monitoring supermarket purchases and vehicle movement, providing a situational picture to the political echelon for decisions on reopening the economy and schools. N. addresses the challenge of fake videos on social media and the importance of filtering and refining information. She emphasizes the Home Front Command's responsibility in decision-making and warns against opening shelters without authority. N., a mother of three, shares how her close environment tries to interpret her actions in search of hints about the timing of the strike on Iran.