Israeli Rescue Team Heads to Colombia After Powerful Earthquake

The team departed from Nevatim Airbase aboard Israeli Air Force aircraft carrying specialized rescue equipment prepared for operations in the earthquake zone.

By United with Israel Staff

An Israeli humanitarian delegation departed for Colombia overnight Thursday to assist with search-and-rescue operations following the powerful earthquake that struck the country earlier this week.

The 80-member “Alliance of Brothers” delegation is being led by the IDF Home Front Command in cooperation with Israel’s Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry, following instructions from the political leadership.

The team departed from Nevatim Airbase aboard Israeli Air Force aircraft carrying specialized rescue equipment prepared for operations in the earthquake zone.

According to the IDF, the delegation includes active-duty and reserve search-and-rescue personnel as well as specialists in a range of fields. Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Pinto, commander of the Home Front Command’s National Search and Rescue Unit, is heading the mission.

Upon arriving in Colombia, the Israeli team is expected to immediately begin locating survivors and assisting local emergency services.

The mission will focus on rapidly mapping areas damaged by the earthquake and identifying locations where people may remain trapped beneath collapsed structures, allowing rescue teams to concentrate their efforts where lives can still be saved.

The Israeli deployment comes after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Aug. 10, causing widespread destruction and killing hundreds of people. Colombia has accepted specialized rescue teams from several countries, including Israel.

🇮🇱🤝🇨🇴 In accordance with the directives of the political echelon, the joint humanitarian delegation of the IDF, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Alliance of Brothers”, will depart for Colombia following the earthquake that occurred across the… pic.twitter.com/sa2am4NbL9

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 13, 2026

היערכות להמראת משלחת “ברית רעים”

משלחת “ברית רעים”, בהובלת פיקוד העורף ובשיתוף משרד הביטחון ומשרד החוץ, המריאה הלילה לקולומביה.

טרם יציאת המשלחת בוצעו הכנות לוגיסטיות, שבמסגרתן נארז והועמס ציוד חילוץ ייעודי המותאם למשימות הצפויות לכוחות בשטח.

לכל הפרטים והתיעודים 👈… pic.twitter.com/pjfwhHbfYD

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 14, 2026

The mission also comes at a significant moment in Israel-Colombia relations.

For decades, Colombia was one of Israel’s closest partners in Latin America, with extensive cooperation in trade, defense and security. Colombia recognized Israel in 1949, formal diplomatic relations were established in 1957, and a bilateral free trade agreement entered into force in 2020.

Relations deteriorated sharply under former President Gustavo Petro, who severed diplomatic ties with Israel in May 2024 amid the Gaza war.

That policy changed following the election of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on Aug. 7 and moved to restore what he called Colombia’s “historic alliance with Israel.” His government has agreed to restore full diplomatic relations and previously announced plans to move Colombia’s embassy to Jerusalem.

The arrival of Israeli rescuers just days after de la Espriella’s inauguration provides an early example of the renewed cooperation between the two countries, this time centered on emergency assistance and saving lives.

Israel has extensive experience dispatching Home Front Command teams to disaster zones around the world, where they specialize in locating survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings and providing rapid assistance following major earthquakes and other catastrophes.