Sayeret Matkal
General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (formerly Unit 269 or Unit 262), more commonly known as Sayeret Matkal (Hebrew: סיירת מטכ״ל), is the special reconnaissance unit (sayeret) of Israel's General Staff (matkal). It is considered one of the premier special forces units of Israel.
| General Staff Reconnaissance Unit | |
|---|---|
| Sayeret Matkal | |
Unit insignia | |
| Active | 5th Company, Unit 154 (1957–1958) Unit 269 (1958–?) Sayeret Matkal (?–present) 1957–present |
| Country | Israel |
| Allegiance | Israel Defense Forces |
| Branch | Military Intelligence Directorate |
| Type | Sayeret |
| Size | Classified |
| Part of | IDF General Staff Headquarters Aman (Special Operations Division (He)) |
| Garrison/HQ | Southern Israel |
| Nickname(s) | The Unit |
| Motto(s) | המעז מנצח (Who Dares Wins) |
| Colors | Maroon beret |
| Engagements | War of Attrition Yom Kippur War Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon Operation Entebbe 1982 Lebanon War South Lebanon conflict First Intifada Second Intifada 2006 Lebanon War 2014 Gaza War 2023 Israel–Hamas war |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Ehud Barak Yonatan Netanyahu Nehemiah Tamari Uzi Dayan Moshe Yaalon Omer Bar-Lev Benjamin Netanyahu Iddo Netanyahu |
| Insignia | |
| Flag of the Intelligence Corps | |
First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also tasked with a wide variety of frequently clandestine special operations, including black operations, combat search and rescue, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, humint, irregular warfare, long-range penetration, conducting manhunts, special operations, and special reconnaissance beyond Israel's borders. The unit is modeled after the British Army's Special Air Service (SAS), taking the unit's motto "Who Dares Wins". The unit is the Israeli equivalent of the SAS. It is directly subordinate to the Special Operations Division of the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate.