Special forces of Israel

Commando Unit 101, the founding Israeli special forces unit, was established and commanded by Ariel Sharon on orders from Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in August 1953.[1] They were armed with non-standard weapons and tasked with carrying out retribution operations across the state's borders—in particular, establishing small unit maneuvers, activation and tactical insertion and exit tactics.

Members of the unit were recruited only from agricultural Kibbutzim and Moshavim. Membership in the unit was by invitation only, and any new member had to be voted on by all existing members before they were accepted.[2]

The unit was merged into the 890th Paratroop Battalion during January 1954, on orders of General Dayan, Chief of Staff, because he wanted their experience and spirit to be spread among all infantry units of IDF starting with the paratroopers. They are considered to have had a significant influence on the development of subsequent Israeli special forces units.[3]

Israeli officers of the Paratrooper Battalion 890 in 1955 with Moshe Dayan (standing, third from the left). Ariel Sharon is standing, second from the left and commando Meir Har Zion is standing furthest left.

All combat brigades in the IDF have a unit with improved weaponry and training used for reconnaissance and special forces missions, trained to use advanced weapons and reconnaissance technology, as well as hand-to-hand combat. Historically the brigades used to only have one company-sized unit outfitted to do this job, known as Palsar (Hebrew contraction of: פלוגת-סיור, Plugat Siyur (singular) / Plugot Siyur (plural), "Reconnaissance Company"). Although the Palsar are mostly oriented at battlefield support (which is their raison d'être), many have participated in special operations during recent years. All infantry units as well as some armored units have Palsar. While in the past there were differences between the Siyur units, due to the experiences of the past decades the IDF is now consolidating them into larger units with many different capabilities: battalion-sized units called Gadsar (contraction of Gdud Siyur, "Reconnaissance battalion"). Each Gadsar is made up of three specialized Plugot (companies): demolitions and combat engineering (Plugat Habalah Handasit, or Palhan), reconnaissance (Plugat Siyur, Palsar) and anti-tank (Pluga Neged Tankim, or Palnat).

On late December 2015, some Ground Force special forces units have been assembled in the Oz Brigade.[4][5]

Other SF units or Sayarot are larger units, operating directly under the General Staff. They are tasked with the most sensitive missions but they also support other conventional and SF units, if needed. Those units are Sayeret Matkal, Shayetet 13 and Shaldag.

Shayetet 13 commandos prepare for an exercise aboard a warship

These are the most well-known reconnaissance units. Their operators are proficient in long range solo navigation, as opposed to other special forces units in the IDF where long range navigation is done with a minimum of 2 fighters.

• Unit 269 – Sayeret Matkal – the IDF's principal Sayeret unit, used mainly to obtain strategic intelligence behind enemy lines and to perform hostage-rescue missions on foreign soil. It is directly subordinate to the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN).
• Flotilla 13 – Shayetet 13 – the naval commando unit, equivalent to the US Navy SEALs or British Special Boat Service. It is part of the Israeli Navy and tasked with maritime hostage-rescue missions. Founded in 1948 by former members of the Palyam, the naval branch of the Haganah.
• Unit 5101 – Shaldag – founded in 1974 by several former Sayeret Matkal veterans, it is the Israeli Air Force's commando unit, specializing in forward air control, aerial & special reconnaissance, and target designation outside of Israel's borders.

Egoz operators blend into the landscape of the Golan Heights.

• Unit 212 – Maglan – a commando unit which specializes in operating behind enemy lines.
• Unit 217 – Duvdevan – mistaravim unit.
• Unit 621 – Egoz – counter-guerrilla unit.

The regular five infantry brigades (Golani, Givati, Nahal, Kfir and the Paratroopers) operate their own Palsars, today joint with Pal'nat and Pal'han to form a "Gad'sar/G'dud Siur", or Reconnaissance Battalion. Each unit is subordinate to a specific brigade command, though they are not restricted to it.

• 93rd Reconnaissance Battalion – Kfir Brigade
• 631st Reconnaissance Battalion – Golani Brigade
• 846th Reconnaissance Battalion – Givati Brigade
• 934th Reconnaissance Battalion – Nahal Brigade
• 5135th Reconnaissance Battalion – Paratroopers Brigade

• Palsar 7 – the 7th Armored Brigade reconnaissance unit.
• Palsar 188 – the 188th Armored Brigade reconnaissance unit.
• Palsar 401 – the 401st Brigade reconnaissance unit.

• Meitar/Moran – a unit operating long range anti-tank Tammuz missiles.
• Sky Rider – a combat unit operating the Elbit Skylark drone.

• Sayeret Yahalom – the engineering special forces unit, its missions range from EOD and bomb disposal to counter-mining warfare.

• Combat Intelligence Collection Special Forces – tasked with intelligence-gathering, they operate either alone or in conjunction with other IDF units. They also provide target designation in wartime.[6]

• Unit 669 – combat search and rescue unit.
• Unit 5700 – establish Advance airfield and forward airfield.

• Shayetet 7 - the unit which operates Israel's submarines.
• Unit Snapir – force protection and harbor security unit.
• Unit YALTAM – defensive divers unit tasked with mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal and salvage and recovery. Not to be confused with Shayetet 13's own underwater unit.

IDF Alpinist Unit dispatched to Mount Hermon

• Alpinist – IDF mountain-warfare unit operating in the Golan Heights; provides protection for IDF electronic listening posts on Mount Hermon and Mount Avital. This unit also provides alpine rescue services. (Northern Command).
• General Staff Security Unit – bodyguard unit of the Chief of General Staff and other top dignitaries.
• LOTAR – the IDF counter-terrorism Unit and school. Most IDF special forces units mentioned go through weeks of training lead by LOTAR at the Mitkan Adam base. LOTAR instructors' are qualified as combat special operators and due to their knowledge and intensive combat training the LOTAR is a fully operation CT Unit with both Peace Time/Low Intensity Conflict and War Time Designations. The LOTAR carries out various CT missions throughout the West Bank, Gaza, and beyond Israel's borders.
• LOTAR Eilat – reserve force counter-terrorism/hostage-rescue unit based at the southern Israeli port city of Eilat. (Southern Command).
• Oketz – the IDF's special K-9 unit.
• Sayeret Rimon – Gaza Strip infiltration of terrorists and border infiltration. [7]

• Unit 101 – the first Israeli special forces unit, commanded by Ariel Sharon.
• Samson Unit – Gaza Strip mista'arvim unit.
• Sayeret Shaked – IDF Southern Command special forces unit.
• Sayeret Duchifat – Armored Corps anti-tank unit.

• Yamam – a counter-terrorist unit specializing in hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against targets in civilian areas
• Yamas – special operations and mista'arvim unit directly subordinate to the Shin Bet.

• Yasam – quick response and riot police unit.
• Gideonim – undercover and mistaravim unit.
• YAGAL – counter-smuggling unit.

• Metzada unit – quick response and intervention force and specializes in suppression of prisoner uprisings, especially in prisons containing Palestinian prisoners.
• Nahshon – intervention and conveyance unit; deals with searches, silencing disturbances, guarding IPS staff, etc.
• Dror – counter-narcotics unit