How Do You Build an Underground Hospital in Just 18 Hours?

While the Air Force was operating deep in Iran, reservists from the Home Front Command’s medical battalions were focused on an equally critical mission: ensuring that Israel’s medical infrastructure could continue functioning under any scenario. In just a few hours, the Rambam Company transformed parking lots into emergency medical departments. How did it happen? We got a rare glimpse into this extraordinary operation.

On Thursday, June 13, at 3:00 AM, dozens of male and female reservists from the "Rambam" Company received orders to leave their operational zone in the Etzion Brigade sector and head north toward Haifa. Their mission: assist in the deployment and transport of a hospital, operating rooms, maternity beds and dialysis stations, into fortified underground spaces.

“It was a sharp transition, but within an hour we had already launched logistical support for the civilian hospital,” recalls Major (Res.) Y., the commander of the Rambam Company, which is named after and affiliated with the Rambam Medical Center.

Their redeployment wasn’t unusual. With the launch of Operation "Rising Lion", seven full medical battalions were mobilized to deploy across hospitals nationwide. In total, reserve forces were operating in 28 medical facilities, from Safed in the north to Eilat in the south. Their core mission: enable the healthcare system to function under rocket attacks, while protecting patients, staff and visitors.

For the Rambam Company and other hospital-aligned units, this wasn’t unfamiliar territory. They've trained at these hospitals before, during COVID-19 and in prior security operations. Their strong relationships with hospital management enabled seamless coordination:

“In just 18 hours, we built a fully functional hospital on Rambam’s lower level.”

And the logistics involved were no small feat.

“In the end, we turned ordinary parking lots into a real hospital,” says Major Y. “My soldiers built showers, transported ventilators, even dialysis machines. We’re talking about critical equipment, and we had to handle everything with the utmost care and sensitivity.”

“This was a joint effort between us and the hospital’s departments, everyone pitched in, even down to the last screw,” the company commander continues. “Our job includes big tasks like setting up the underground hospital, but also smaller ones, like sealing blast doors during an emergency, a split-second action that can save lives.” 

Throughout the operation, the reservists worked in uniform, in the heart of a civilian environment.

“Our visibility is very important,” Major Y. emphasizes. “When a civilian sees a soldier in an orange vest, they see the entire IDF. I know how crucial it is to provide a sense of security to those inside the hospital.”

One moment that stands out for the commander happened during the operation, is when he learned that a missile had struck just a few hundred meters from his home.

“I left to check on my family,” he recounts. “But once I confirmed the damage was only to property and no one was hurt, I returned to the unit, while my deputy was already setting up a reception team for the expected wave of casualties from that very strike.”

The Rambam Pin 

At the conclusion of the operation, the same medical battalions were also responsible for dismantling the temporary wards and returning the hospitals to normal civilian function. At Rambam Medical Center, each soldier was awarded a special pin of appreciation, a token of gratitude for their extraordinary contribution.

“It’s not just about lifting a bed or connecting a cable,” Major Y. clarifies.
 “It’s knowing that you’re the one enabling doctors to heal, patients to recover and the entire system to keep breathing.”