Rambam Health Care Campus: Preparing for Potential Conflict with Hezbollah

Rambam Health Care Campus: Preparing for Potential Conflict with Hezbollah

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

Above ground, the Rambam Health Care Campus is dedicated to treating those wounded in the ongoing conflict with Gaza. However, below ground, northern Israel’s leading hospital is bracing for a potentially more devastating conflict with Hezbollah, as was reported on Thursday in The Wall Street Journal.  This preparedness extends three levels down into its underground parking garage, which has been converted into a comprehensive medical facility equipped to handle the worst-case scenarios of an all-out war.

The hospital’s underground setup includes four operating rooms, a maternity ward, and a dialysis center, all meticulously arranged to ensure continued operation during a crisis. Hospital beds are positioned next to oxygen and suction lines embedded in the parking lot’s walls. Medications are stored on rollable shelves for easy access, and ventilation ducts hang from the ceiling to maintain air quality. According to the WSJ report, the entire facility is designed to be operational within eight hours, allowing doctors to swiftly evacuate their wards and prepare for an influx of patients.

“We expect to have thousands of casualties over here,” said Dr. Michael Halberthal, the hospital’s director, as per the WSJ report. “This is what we’re ready for.”

Under the leadership of Dr. Halberthal, who directed the hospital’s triage during the 2006 Lebanon war, Rambam has developed what is claimed to be the most fortified medical facility in the world, the WSJ report revealed.

The 34-day conflict with Hezbollah in 2006, during which Rambam Hospital endured approximately 70 nearby missile strikes, significantly influenced the hospital’s current preparedness strategy. The experience highlighted the necessity for a fortified medical facility capable of operating under extreme conditions.

Israel’s Health Ministry has asked Rambam to be prepared to increase its capacity by 40% in the event of an escalation. Dr. Halberthal stated to the WSJ, “Our reference scenario is a war of at least 60 days with very powerful missiles landing around us every four minutes.” This scenario highlights the hospital’s comprehensive preparedness efforts, including the ability to treat thousands of casualties.

The preparations at Rambam Health Care Campus are part of a broader effort across Israel to brace for a potential conflict with Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The WSJ reported that unlike Hamas, Hezbollah is better trained and more heavily armed, with an estimated stockpile of 150,000 missiles capable of reaching across Israel. The group’s capabilities present a far more significant threat, prompting comprehensive readiness measures.

Hezbollah began attacking Israel the day after the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, which resulted in the brutal massacre of 1,200 people and the abduction of 250 others. The group has vowed to continue its attacks until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. The WSJ report noted that this ongoing conflict has displaced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border, with Israel threatening a full-scale war if necessary to secure its northern border and return people to their homes.

The preparations at Rambam Health Care Campus reflect the seriousness of the threat posed by Hezbollah. The extensive underground medical facilities are a stark reminder of the potential scale of casualties and the need for a robust and resilient healthcare infrastructure.

In anticipation of a possible escalation into full-scale war with Hezbollah, Israeli emergency and municipal authorities are preparing for a scenario where up to 4,000 missiles and rockets could rain down daily. As per the information contained in the WSJ report, this volume of firepower is expected to overwhelm air defenses, resulting in daily casualties in the thousands, and causing widespread destruction across the country.

Military briefings to Israeli authorities outline a grim picture. Daily missile barrages are likely to cause hundreds of fires and extensive damage to public infrastructure and private homes, stretching the capabilities of response teams to their limits, the WSJ report revealed. The destruction seen in Gaza, where over half of the buildings have been destroyed, provides a stark precedent. As was noted in the WSJ report, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has warned that similar tactics could be employed against Beirut if Hezbollah provokes an escalation.

Across Israel, homeowners associations are taking proactive measures. Shelters in apartment buildings are being cleared, plumbing is being fixed, and supplies of water and essentials are being stockpiled to prepare for prolonged underground stays, the WSJ report explained.  In Tel Aviv, residents keep go-bags packed with necessities, ready to flee at a moment’s notice. Emergency crews are being reinforced, and supplies of critical items such as blood are being secured to ensure readiness.

The potential conflict with Hezbollah presents broader implications for both Israel and Lebanon. The extensive preparations being undertaken by Israeli authorities and institutions reflect the serious threat posed by Hezbollah’s missile arsenal, estimated at 150,000 projectiles, as was reported by the WSJ. These preparations aim not only to protect civilian lives but also to maintain the resilience of critical infrastructure and healthcare systems.

As tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue to escalate, Israeli emergency services, led by Magen David Adom (MDA), are also ramping up their preparedness to handle potential large-scale conflicts. According to the WSJ report, the director general of Magen David Adom, Eli Bin and his team at Magen David Adom have been meticulously stockpiling critical medical supplies in an underground facility located south of Tel Aviv.

This facility is designed to safeguard essential items such as field dressings, syringes, and medications, which are stored on multistory shelving units. The warehouse also houses some of the 200 additional ambulances that have been integrated into MDA’s fleet since the conflict in Gaza began. These ambulances are strategically positioned to ensure rapid deployment in case of emergencies.

A notable feature of MDA’s preparedness is a truck equipped with a satellite dish, which is intended to function as a mobile medical station if traditional facilities are compromised, the WSJ report said. This truck is parked alongside a large yellow tent, which can be deployed as a makeshift field hospital, highlighting MDA’s commitment to maintaining medical services under all circumstances.

Bin has expressed grave concerns about the potential scale of conflict in northern Israel, particularly with Hezbollah. “We know and expect that what happened in the south isn’t even a promo clip for what will happen in the north,” Bin stated to the WSJ, emphasizing the anticipated intensity of future conflicts.

In a strategic move to protect one of its most vital resources, Magen David Adom has centralized and relocated Israel’s national blood bank to an underground facility in October. This relocation aims to shield the blood bank from potential attacks. At the height of the current war, the facility was processing 1,500 units of blood daily. Noted in the WSJ report is that some of these units are cycled through Israel’s strategic blood reserve, which is stored in a highly secure, chilled vault three floors underground. This measure ensures a continuous and safe supply of blood during emergencies.

Magen David Adom is also enhancing the capabilities of local first responders, particularly in smaller towns near the Lebanon border. The organization is equipping these responders with the necessary tools and training to handle emergencies effectively. This initiative is crucial, given the increased vulnerability of these areas to Hezbollah’s attacks.

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services are also playing a critical role in preparing for potential conflicts. The WSJ reported that under the leadership of senior officer Kfir Bibitko, the service is training more than 150 civilian response teams in communities within 18 miles of Israel’s border with Lebanon. These squads are equipped with small all-terrain firefighting vehicles, enabling them to navigate quickly across the region’s farmland. This mobility is essential in responding to the numerous fires triggered by Hezbollah’s aerial barrages, such as the one in June that raged for several days.

As Israel braces for the possibility of a major conflict with Hezbollah, the proactive steps taken by Magen David Adom and other emergency services demonstrate a robust commitment to national preparedness. These efforts are crucial in ensuring that Israel can respond effectively to any escalation, safeguarding the lives and well-being of its citizens amidst growing regional tensions.