In a groundbreaking development for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a female soldier has become the first woman ever accepted into Sayeret Matkal, the military's most prestigious special operations unit.
The unnamed soldier successfully conquered the unit's notoriously challenging five-day selection process, which puts candidates through extreme physical and mental trials designed to test their endurance limits. Sayeret Matkal, often compared to the US Delta Force, specializes in high-stakes intelligence gathering and operations behind enemy lines.
While the soldier has completed the most demanding screening phases, she still faces a brief technical process before beginning her formal training with the elite unit.
This historic achievement is part of a broader IDF initiative to integrate women into specialized combat roles. The military launched a pilot program over a year ago specifically focused on incorporating female soldiers into Navy SEAL units. That program saw initial success when 17 women passed the preliminary selection day in March.
The integration of women into elite combat units continues to expand across the IDF. In late 2023, two female soldiers joined Unit 669, the military's specialized combat search and rescue team that operates in high-risk combat zones.
Additional pilot programs are currently underway, including one focused on training female infantry specialists in force mobility operations within the mechanized infantry brigade. Another program prepares women for armored combat roles, including tank operation for border defense missions.
This latest milestone represents a significant step forward in the IDF's ongoing efforts to expand opportunities for women in combat roles while maintaining the military's rigorous operational standards.