This morning, a dog in central Israel fell into the Ayalon River during a missile siren before being rescued by a special rescue unit, Israel Fire and Rescue Authority official Shai Castro said in a statement.
As sirens were sounding in the area due to missile fire from Iran, the dog left its owner’s car and, in panic, jumped into the river.
“Due to the terrain conditions and weather, the complex rescue was carried out using specialized equipment by a YALAM (Special Rescue Unit) team from the Tel Aviv station, together with the Lehava unit,” the Fire and Rescue Authority noted.
Pashosho: Home Front Command's unofficial chief canine
Even during war, dogs clearly hold a special place in Israel’s heart, as shown by Pashosho, Home Front Command’s adopted mascot, who brings joy to bomb shelters as the conflict persists.
He has featured in safety instruction videos from Home Front Command and even appeared on Channel 12 news.
Pashosho first became a sensation in May 2025 with a video posted on his Instagram page showing the golden retriever holding a pacifier he found outside in his mouth, like a human baby.
Pashosho’s second viral video came about during the 12-Day War with Iran. Pashosho’s owner posted a clip of the dog being petted amid sirens.
“Since the beginning of the war, he’s been sure that an alarm means that the whole building will go on the stairs to pet him,” reads the caption.
Since then, Pashosho has gained national fame, helping keep spirits high by only being himself.
Pashosho’s gentle presence has comforted many, including Omer Shem Tov, a former hostage who spent over 500 days in captivity before being released in February 2025.
He also visited wounded IDF soldiers at Sheba Medical Center, which the public saw in a video uploaded to social media by the IDF on Saturday.