Sayeret Matkal
| Sayeret Matkal | |
|---|---|
Unit insignia | |
| Active | 1957–present |
| Country | Israel |
| Branch | Israel Defense Forces |
| Type | Special forces |
| Size | Classified |
| Part of | General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Aman (Special Operations Division) |
| Garrison/HQ | Southern Israel |
| Nickname | The Unit |
| Motto | 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 Gaza war |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Ehud Barak Yonatan Netanyahu Nehemiah Tamari Uzi Dayan Moshe Yaalon Omer Bar-Lev Benjamin Netanyahu Iddo Netanyahu |
The Sayeret Matkal (Hebrew: סיירת מטכ״ל) (formerly Unit 269 or Unit 262) (English: General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) is an elite special reconnaissance unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It is subordinate to the General Staff of IDF.
Though primarily 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 special operations, including black operations, combat search and rescue, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, HUMINT, irregular warfare, long-range penetration, conducting manhunts, and reconnaissance beyond Israel's borders.
While primarily subordinate to the General Staff, Sayeret Matkal is also the special operations component of the Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman). Its primary role is field intelligence-gathering and deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines, which aligns it closely with Aman's objectives.
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.