A female combat soldier has become the first woman to complete training for the Israeli military’s elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Thursday.
The military did not identify the soldier or provide details about her future assignment within Sayeret Matkal.
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The achievement marks a milestone in the IDF’s efforts to expand opportunities for women in combat roles, including in some of its most selective special operations units.
According to the military, the pilot program allowing women to serve in Sayeret Matkal began in December 2024. The soldier passed preliminary screening tests, met the unit’s requirements and completed a training course that lasted more than 18 months.
According to reports, the training was the same as that completed by male soldiers, with some adjustments to the physical requirements.
The IDF said the soldier is expected to be integrated into the unit’s operational activities in the near future, subject to operational needs and military protocols governing mixed-gender service.
“The IDF congratulates the soldier on her significant and groundbreaking achievement,” the military said in a statement.
“At this time, maximizing the service potential of male and female soldiers from all sectors and populations is an imperative, and the IDF will continue to work toward this goal,” the military added.
Women already serve in a wide range of combat roles in the IDF, often alongside male soldiers.
In December, the IDF declared a pilot program integrating women into the Combat Engineering Corps’ elite Yahalom unit a success, paving the way for female combat engineers to serve in the role permanently.
The military is also running a pilot program to integrate women into the Israeli Air Force’s elite search-and-rescue Unit 669.
Sayeret Matkal, the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, is considered one of Israel’s most elite special forces units and is known for conducting intelligence-gathering missions, counterterrorism operations and other highly sensitive assignments.
