The new unit will spearhead any future northern campaigns, particularly against Hezbollah’s fortified positions.
By Hezy Laing
The IDF has formally unveiled the “Crushing Fist” Division (Oger Maḥatz), a new maneuver formation designed to deliver rapid, high‑intensity ground operations against Hezbollah, Hamas, and future multi‑front threats.
The division, established under the command of Maj. Gen. Dan Goldfus, reflects the IDF’s conclusion that existing armored and infantry divisions are too slow, too compartmentalized, and insufficiently integrated for the demands of modern combat.
The new division was created after internal IDF assessments following the 2023–2024 Gaza campaign and escalating tensions on the northern border.
These reviews found that traditional divisions—such as the 36th Armored Division and 162nd Division—were powerful but not optimized for dense urban terrain, anti‑tank missile saturation, drone swarms, and rapid deep‑strike requirements.
The “Crushing Fist” is designed to solve these gaps by merging armor, mechanized infantry, artillery, engineers, drones, and intelligence units into a single, permanently integrated combat team.
The division is believed to include 12,000–14,000 personnel, drawn from elite armored brigades, specialized engineering battalions, and reconnaissance units.
It fields Merkava Mark IV and Mark IV Barak tanks, Namer and Eitan APCs, Pereh precision‑guided missile platforms, and a dedicated drone wing equipped with Hermes 450, Skylark, and loitering‑munition systems.
The division also incorporates a real‑time digital command network developed with Elbit Systems, enabling commanders to identify, strike, and maneuver faster than legacy formations.
A major innovation is the integration of robotic and autonomous systems directly into frontline maneuver units.
These include unmanned ground vehicles for reconnaissance, tunnel detection, and logistics resupply, as well as AI‑assisted robotic engineering tools capable of breaching obstacles and clearing mines without exposing soldiers.
Several prototypes—developed by IAI, Rafael, and MAFAT—are already undergoing field testing within the division, marking the first time the IDF has embedded robots at brigade scale.
Operational planners expect the “Crushing Fist” to spearhead any future northern campaign, particularly against Hezbollah’s fortified positions and tunnel networks.
Given rising tensions and the division’s accelerated training schedule, defense officials estimate it could be deployed in real combat within the next 12–18 months, depending on regional developments.
