Israeli Special Forces

Sayeret Matkal is Israel’s most elite special operations unit. It has been setting special operations standards since its creation.

Unit 101, a trailblazing Israeli special forces unit formed in 1953 and led by Ariel Sharon, was instrumental in shaping modern military tactics through its direct-action retaliatory missions, despite its controversial legacy marked by the Qibya incident, until its disbandment and integration into larger IDF forces in 1955.

The enduring partnership between the Israeli Special Forces and Barrett Firearms has been pivotal in advancing the sniping capabilities of units like YAMAM, with the adoption of Barrett’s MRAD and REC10 models marking a significant evolution in their operational readiness, particularly in high-stakes counter-terrorism and hostage rescue scenarios.

Amid escalating tensions, the Axis of Resistance, backed by Iranian proxies, seeks to undermine Israeli military morale, while Israeli forces, through calculated maneuvers, aim to navigate the complex dynamics of the Gaza and West Bank conflicts, illustrating a broader geopolitical game where every action triggers reactions in a tense regional standoff with global implications.

Having worked as a trainer and adviser to the Ukrainian military since 2015, I have seen over the years a noticeable difference in the training, equipment, and the general modernization of the Ukrainian military. Today Ukraine seeks to further enhance its military capabilities by sending its special forces to the Israel Military Industries Academy for […]

With the news that Hezbollah is turning Lebanese villages along the border with Israel into military bases, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) specifically their Special Operations Forces are expecting an urban guerrilla warfare scenario. And they are preparing their forces and training to meet the threat. Hezbollah has been constructing tunnels from Lebanon into Israel […]

The Israelis are producing some excellent quality miniseries for television. “Fauda’ which centers around an Israeli Special Operations unit that goes undercover inside Gaza looks a lot like what we’ve read recently where a real operation went bad and the team got into a shootout with Palestinian members of Hamas. “Mossad 101” was another good […]

The Israelis are no strangers to the counter-terrorist world of Special Operations. They arguably have the most experience in that they have been dealing with counter-terror issues in and around their own country for decades. They have developed several Special Operations units that integrated with their conventional troops, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and each […]

IDF Special Forces in combat actions against Hamas while operating in the Gaza Strip.

IDF forces relayed their experience in combating regional terrorism threats to the US forces.