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Israel’s coastal waters have become littered with unexploded munitions, prompting the Defense Ministry’s Mine and Ordnance Clearance Authority to launch its first-ever underwater research project. The chosen location for the initiative is off the coast of Rishon Lezion.
The two-year project is part of a broader plan to clear "Firing Range 24," a military testing ground along the city's shoreline. Once completed, the city will gain at least two additional kilometers of beach access. The site, which has been used for military tests since 1953, is home to wildlife like gazelles and sea turtles.
According to officials, the project addresses a growing national demand for underwater infrastructure, including desalination plants, fiber optic cables and gas pipelines. Clearing the unexploded ordnance is a necessary step for these developments.
"No one, anywhere in the world, has ever cleared such a vast underwater area with such small targets at this depth," said Shachar Beck, head of the clearance authority.
"There's global interest in our clearance method, and we've reached out to international companies for assistance. Unexploded ordnance is scattered in various parts of the Mediterranean, and it must be removed. This initial phase will clear a large area that will become a unique marine nature reserve in the heart of central Israel. Rishon Lezion is a beautiful coastal city without a proper beach, but in the coming years, it will finally get one that will serve the entire Gush Dan area."
The clearance work requires careful environmental planning. Harel Ben-Shahar, head of the Central District at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, said the process will inevitably impact marine life.
"There’s been ongoing discussion in recent years about clearing the base, with part of it designated to become a nature reserve," he said. "It's a complicated process, and we know that parts of the marine habitat will be affected. Most of the seabed here is sandy, so fish will likely swim away. But we expect the ecosystem to recover relatively quickly, including the marine life that burrows in the sand."
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Researchers clearing the seabed of explosives
(Photo: Prof. Beverly Goodman-Tchernov)
The research team is using advanced technology to track how unexploded ordnance moves underwater. Dr. Roy Heichel from the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute explained that the sea’s natural currents can shift the munitions along the seabed.
"The sea is dynamic — it moves sand, and it can move objects like unexploded ordnance," Heichel said. "Our hypothesis is that the deeper we go, the harder it is for the waves to shift the munitions. Eventually, we’ll find a depth where they become completely stationary."
To test the theory, Heichel’s team set up three monitoring stations at depths of 5, 10 and 15 meters, where they placed inert munitions equipped with accelerometers. These devices measure the forces acting on the objects. The team is also tracking environmental factors like wave height, currents and temperature.
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"Our goal is to understand how these objects move — whether they get buried in the sand or shift along the seabed," Heichel said. "Once we map this movement, the clearance authority can safely remove the unexploded ordnance."
If you encounter ammunition painted yellow and labeled "experiment," call the police immediately. Afterward, contact the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute at the number provided on the device.