Jerusalem, 4 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- A female soldier has become the first woman to complete training for the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday.
“The IDF congratulates the soldier on her significant and groundbreaking achievement,” the military said in a statement.
Sayeret Matkal is the military’s premier special operations unit, specializing in highly classified intelligence-gathering and covert missions. Formed in 1957, it conducts strategic operations deep behind enemy lines, often in hostile or denied territory, and is considered one of the IDF’s most elite and selective combat formations.
The achievement follows a pilot program launched in December 2024 allowing women to undergo selection and training in the unit.