Oz Brigade

Last updated
89th "Oz" Brigade
89th Oz Brigade.png
89th brigade patch
Active2015–present
CountryFlag of Israel.svg  Israel
BranchFlag of the Israeli Army (Land Arm) Gray.svg  Israeli Ground Forces
Role Commando
Part of Central Command
98th Division
Nickname(s)Commando brigade
Motto(s)"Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies" (Genesis 49:8) [1]
Commanders
Current
commander		Brigadier General Meni Liberty

The 89th "Oz" Brigade ("Courage" in Hebrew) is a brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), dedicated entirely to special operations. [2] It was established in December 2015. The new brigade, dubbed the Commando Brigade, is composed solely of infantry special-operations units removed from their previous chain of command structures to create a new tactical formation. [3] Commanded by Aluf Mishne (Colonel) Avi Blut, the brigade operates as part of the 98th Division. [3] [4]

Contents

Ideation and development

According to the IDF, the Commando Brigade is the brainchild of Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot and is the implementation of operational lessons learned during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014 and the Second Lebanon War in 2006. According to the 98th Division Commander, the brigade is an integration of the elite teams of the Infantry Corps under one command, and a body expected to lead operational and tactical thinking in order to establish a new warfare doctrine. [3] [5] The new Brigade is intended to provide special operations units a previously lacking centre of gravity. [4]

The concept of a commando brigade was developed by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot during the formulation of the 5-years military plan. The new brigade is said to draw further parallels between Israel's special forces and 75th Ranger Regiment. [6]

Other special-operations units, Sayeret Matkal, Shayetet 13, Shaldag, Oketz and Yahalom will continue to operate independently. [7]

Brigade organization 2023

The 89th Brigade consists of three (formerly four) special operations units of the IDF: [3] [4] The brigade had a fourth battalion, the now defunct Unit 845, or "Rimon", desert warfare unit, which was absorbed into Maglan in June 2018. [8] As of 2023, the brigade consists off:

  • 89th Oz Brigade.png 89th Brigade Oz
    • Unit 212 "Maglan" – special reconnaissance unit [9]
    • Unit 217 "Duvdevan" – undercover counter terrorism unit
    • Unit 621 "Egoz" – guerilla warfare unit [10]
    • Logistics Battalion
    • Aerial Medical Unit
    • Signals Company
    • Technological Development unit

Commander

  • Brigadier General David Zini (2015–2017)
  • Brigadier General Avi Blot (2017–2018)
  • Colonel Kobi Heller (2018 –2021)
  • Brigadier General Meni Liberty (2021–Present)

Insignia

The insignia chosen for the new brigade depicts the Hebrew letter Quf (ק), the first letter in the Hebrew word for Commando (קומנדו), composed of a commando knife rising from the sea and a double headed arrow above it. It symbolizes the special designation of the brigade and its mobility, by air, land or sea. [3] [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

Special forces units in the Israel Defense Forces encompass a broad definition of specialist units. Such units are usually a regiment or a battalion in strength.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paratroopers Brigade</span> Elite Israel Defense Forces unit

The 35th "Paratroopers" Brigade is a brigade of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) consisting of airborne infantry. It forms a major part of the Israeli Ground Forces' Infantry Corps, and has a history of carrying out special operations from the 1950s onwards. Soldiers of the brigade wear maroon berets with the Infantry Corps pin and russet boots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviv Kohavi</span> 22nd Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces

Aviv Kohavi was the 22nd Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on January 15, 2019. Before becoming Lieutenant General (Rav-Aluf), he was commander of the Gaza Division, commander of the Northern Command, commander of the Paratroopers Brigade and Military Intelligence Director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unit Egoz</span> Israel Defense Forces commando and special forces unit specialized in Guerilla warfare

Unit 621, otherwise known as Sayeret Egoz, is an elite Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commando unit specializing in guerrilla warfare, special reconnaissance, and direct action (military). It is a part of the IDF Central Command's 89th Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gadi Eisenkot</span> Israeli general (born 1960)

Gadi Eisenkot, also spelt Eizenkot, is an Israeli general and politician from the Israeli National Unity party. He served as the 21st Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019 and as of 2023, serves as a minister without portfolio in Israel's government. Eisenkot, who grew up in Eilat, pursued maritime studies and later served in the IDF's Golani Brigade. He holds a B.A. in History from Tel Aviv University and a post-graduate degree in Political Science from Haifa University. Married with five children, he resides in Herzliya. One of his sons, Gal was killed in action during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tal Rousso</span> Israeli general (born 1959)

Tal Rousso is a general of the Israel Defense Forces, serving in the reserves. He heads the IDF's Depth Corps. He also served as an MK for the Labor Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Law and Order</span> Israeli military operation against a Hezbollah base in Lebanon

Operation Law and Order was an Israeli military operation against a Hezbollah base in the village of Maydoun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maglan</span> Israeli commando and special forces unit

Maglan is a sayeret (reconnaissance) unit of the Israeli Defense Forces, which specializes in operating behind enemy lines and deep in enemy territory using advanced technologies and weaponry. Though Maglan is part of the IDF's Commando Brigade, its operators undergo basic training with the Paratroopers Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herzi Halevi</span> Chief of General Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (born 1967)

Herzl "Herzi" Halevi is the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on 16 January 2023.

Israeli Special Forces Operations in 2006 were part of the Second Lebanon War. Several commando units of the Israel Defence Forces launched dozens of operations against Hizbullah targets in Lebanon. Most of these were never publicized and many may have consisted of intelligence-gathering probes into Lebanese territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">55th Paratroopers Brigade</span>

55th Paratroopers Brigade, also known as "Tip of The Spear Brigade", is a reserve-service infantry Brigade in the Israeli Defense Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amir Baram</span> Israeli general

Amir Baram is an Israel Defense Forces major general (Aluf) who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of General Staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aharon Haliva</span> Israeli Major general (born 1967)

Aharon Haliva is an Israeli Major general (Aluf) who currently commands the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eliezer Toledano</span> Israeli major general (b. 1973)

Eliezer Toledano is an Israeli Aluf who served as the commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, the Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, the commander of the Gaza Division and of the Southern Command. Currently, he heads the Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yossi Bachar</span> Israeli Major general

Yossi Bachar is an Israeli Major general (Aluf) who commands the IDF's General Staff Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moshe Tamir (general)</span> Israeli brigadier general (born 1964)

Moshe "Chiko" Tamir is an Israeli brigadier general who commanded the Gaza Division of the Israel Defense Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yaron Finkelman</span> Israeli brigadier general (b. 1975)

Yaron Finkelman is an Israeli major general who commands the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avi Bluth</span> Israeli Brigadier General

Abraham (Avi) Ahron Bluth is an Israeli brigadier general (Tat-Aluf), who currently commands the Judea and Samaria Division

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Itai Veruv</span> Israeli general

Itai Veruv is a Major General (aluf) who is currently serving as the Commander of the Israel Defense Forces Depth Corps and Commander of the IDF Military Colleges. He previously served as Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, Commander of the Gaza Division, Chief of the Infantry and Paratroopers Corps, and Commander of the Kfir Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Tyre Operation</span> Israeli raid on hezbollah base in 2006

The Second Tyre Operation was an Israeli military operation, carried out by the Maglan unit of the Israeli Defense Forces during the 2006 Lebanon War, on August 3–15, 2006. The unit destroyed about 150 targets, including about 40 rocket launchers, in the western sector of southern Lebanon. According to Niccolò Petrelli, the commandos came from Maglan unit.

References

  1. ↑ Hebrew: "יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ", English translation from KJV. IDF Official website
  2. ↑ Gabi Siboni and Gal Perl Finkel, The IDF Exercises in Cyprus and Crete, INSS Insight No. 945, June 28, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Zeff, Michael (27 December 2015). "New Israeli Special Operations Infantry Brigade". Special Forces International. Tazpit News Agency. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Israel Stands Up New Commando Brigade". DefenseNews. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Caspit, Ben (8 July 2015). "Is IDF gearing up to fight the Islamic State?". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  6. ↑ Zitun, Yoav (7 July 2015). "IDF to unite elite units in new commando brigade". Ynetnews.com. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "IDF Commando Brigade unveiled amid threats from Nasrallah and Al-Baghdadi". A Sclerotic Goes to War. 27 December 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  8. ↑ יחידת "רימון" נסגרת ומוטמעת ב"מגלן". תיעוד מסכם מ-8 שנות פעילות מבצעית, Israel Defense Forces website, February 07, 2018 (in Hebrew)
  9. ↑ Gal Perl Finkel, Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water, The Jerusalem Post, August 09, 2018.
  10. ↑ Gal Perl Finkel, Wisdom is in the timing, The Jerusalem Post, December 12, 2019.
  11. ↑ Gross, Judah Ari (28 December 2015). "IDF goes commando with formation of new elite brigade". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
Commons-logo.svg
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oz Brigade .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.