The IDF has announced it is forming its first new division in half a century: a ground attack unit that can enter deep into enemy territory.
The Israeli military has not launched a new a division such as this since the 1970s. Known as a "manoeuvring division”, its primary purpose is to cross enemy lines and infiltrate enemy territory – but will only be activated in wartime.
Since the 1970s the IDF has only launched new regional divisions whose remit is to protect Israel’s borders.
The 38th Division will contain all the units currently in the Ground Forces’ Basic Training Division and will be headed by Brigadier General Sharon Altit.
It will include the School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders, as well as the Bahad 1 officers’ school, and the training schools for the Armoured Corps, Artillery Corps, Combat Engineering Corps, and Border Defence Corps.
A signals battalion and a logistics regiment for the new division is also currently being developed.
The new division will be ready for combat in 2027, military experts have said, and it will start with around 1,200 reservists – relatively small compared to most divisions which have approximately 5,000 troops.
Its tanks are reported to be Merkava 4s, which are seen as superior to the Merkava 2 and 3 types used by some other units.
The “38” in its name pays tribute to a division that bared the same number during the 1956 Sinai Campaign and the 1967 Six Day War. The original 38th Division, commanded by Israel’s 11th prime minister, Ariel Sharon, ultimately became part of what is now the 146th Reserve Division.
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