IDF to establish new reconnaissance-strike battalions in Golani, Nahal brigades

The Israeli military on Monday announced the formation of two new battalions under the Golani and Nahal infantry brigades, in a move aimed at expanding the Ground Forces.

The 11th “Alon” Battalion in the Golani Brigade and the 935th “Nofekh” Battalion in the Nahal Brigade will both serve as reconnaissance-strike units, tasked with locating and destroying enemy targets in real time.

The Israel Defense Forces said the move follows staff work by the Ground Forces and the Personnel Directorate, which IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir recently approved.

“The battalions, which are currently in the process of being established, will serve as a force multiplier, with the aim of strengthening the operational capabilities of combat troops on the ground, making optimal use of the IDF’s combat personnel, and adapting them to changing operational needs,” the military said.

The IDF said the two battalions will specialize in operating drones, robotics, surveillance and other visual intelligence systems, as well as advanced weaponry and precision-guided munitions, “to improve reconnaissance and attack capabilities on the battlefield.”

Full details regarding the establishment of the two battalions have not yet been finalized and will be conveyed to troops serving in the units once they are, the army added.

The Golani and Nahal brigades both currently have four infantry battalions each, including an elite reconnaissance unit. The latest move would expand each brigade to five battalions.

Zamir, since entering the role of military chief in March 2025, has been pushing to expand the standing Ground Forces to alleviate pressure on the reserve army, which has seen significant burnout amid the war, as well as to reverse a two-decade trend of reducing the size of the military amid a growing range of operations in recent years.

The military is currently in the midst of reviving the 500th Armored Brigade, a tank unit that had been closed in 2003. Last month, Zamir appointed the first commander for the newly opened unit.

Earlier this year, the IDF formed a new combat division, composed of all the Ground Forces’ training units, which could be activated in times of war for operations. The 38th Division contains the School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders, the Bahad 1 officers’ school, and the training schools for the Armored Corps, Artillery Corps, Combat Engineering Corps, and Border Defense Corps.