How do military data analysts assist in thwarting terror activity?
Following the surgical strike of the senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist Baha Abu al-'Ata at the end of 2019, two terrorists planned to launch missiles at Israel. The IDF immediately responded by eliminating the missile launchers before they had the chance to fire them. Through the use of special systems, data analysts in the IDF Intelligence Directorate were able to stop the rockets by identifying a planned attack and preventing it before it occurs.
29.12.21
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The Data Analysts Array in the IDF Intelligence Directorate was established in recent years and has revolutionized the way the IDF conducts its information gathering. The array utilizes military data systems that are able to locate “key data” and analyze the seemingly endless data that the IDF collects.
“Key data” are important pieces of data that allow the IDF to understand a terrorist’s behavioral pattern. Thanks to “key data”, the IDF can predict future terror activity, identify potential terrorist activity and prevent planned terror attacks - like what happened a year ago during Operation “Black Belt” with the elimination of the two terrorists who launched the missiles who attempted to target Israel.
A needle in a haystack:
The ability to gather data 24/7 is necessary, however, can be overwhelming as too much data is likely to be unusable and irrelevant for immediate operational activity. The IDF’s Data Analytics Array’s systems are capable of sorting through data with emphasis on the importance of their potential impact. The entire filtering process is carried out automatically with IDF technology.
How does the system work?
Cooperation between humans and machines enables the IDF to find "key data" that will not only provide information on specific activity, but can also indicate patterns in terrorist activity (whether it is to be carried out by an individual or an organization). With this “key data,” the IDF can prevent terror activity before it happens.
Combining the capabilities of a person who knows how to research and analyze a potential operational situation with the capabilities that the array’s system provides to scan and compare data gives the IDF technological analysis skills that enable rapid detection of terrorist targets and their accurate neutralization.
Not just terrorism:
The Data Analysts Array in the IDF Intelligence Directorate not only helps thwart terrorist threats but also deal with other threats such as COVID-19. The Intelligence Directorate has published many reports about the virus including research-based recommendations and conclusions to enable an ideal response within the IDF to the situation. 
The IDF Intelligence Directorate considers this new array "revolutionary." The ability to save lives using tech is necessary nowadays, and thanks to the people behind those systems, this ability exists and significantly affects the routine.
