The Refaim’s mission is to pioneer new combat methods and integrate them into broader IDF strategy.
By Hezy Laing
The pace of advancement in military techniques and technology has become so fast that the IDF has set up a special unit to test and implement new solutions.
Israel’s elite Ghost Unit, officially known as the Refaim or Unit 888, has emerged as the IDF’s most innovative combat formation, tasked with developing and testing cutting-edge battle techniques and technologies.
Established in 2020 under the IDF’s multi-year Momentum Plan (Tnufa), the Refaim operates as a multi-dimensional force that fuses classic infantry tactics with advanced technological warfare.
It is part of the 99th Infantry Division and answers directly to the GOC Army Headquarters.
Commanded by Colonel Tal Ashure, the unit is composed of compact, highly trained teams capable of operating across air, land, and cyber domains.
The Refaim’s mission is to pioneer new combat methods and integrate them into broader IDF strategy.
In its first major exercise in July 2020, the unit tested techniques involving coordination between ground troops and fighter jets, robotic platforms, and precision-guided munitions.
These drills included the use of drones for surveillance and target acquisition, tanks for direct fire support, and AI-driven systems for battlefield decision-making.
The IDF’s Ghost Unit—Refaim—serves not only as an elite combat force but also as a living laboratory for battlefield innovation, with a core mission to teach and transform other units across the Israeli military.
Refaim develops new combat techniques, technologies, and operational doctrines through live-fire exercises, urban warfare simulations, and multi-domain drills.
Once these methods are tested and refined, the unit shares them with regular infantry brigades, armored corps, and special forces.
This is done through joint training sessions, instructional deployments, and classified briefings at IDF training centers such as the Tze’elim Ground Forces Training Base.
For example, during operations in Gaza, Refaim pioneered the use of AI-assisted targeting, drone-guided mortar fire, and real-time tank coordination in dense urban terrain.
These techniques were later integrated into the tactics of the Golani Brigade, Paratroopers, and Givati Brigade, enhancing their effectiveness in tunnel warfare and building-to-building combat.
Refaim also collaborates with Unit 8200 and Matzpen, the IDF’s digital transformation directorate, to develop tech-based solutions like augmented reality helmets, autonomous surveillance drones, and sensor fusion platforms.
Once validated, these tools are distributed to frontline units with training modules led by Refaim instructors.
In addition, Refaim’s officers—many of whom are veterans of elite units like Sayeret Matkal and Shaldag—conduct after-action reviews and tactical debriefings with other commanders, helping them adapt lessons learned from Refaim’s missions to their own operational environments.
The Refaim’s motto, drawn from Proverbs 9:18 “But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell”—reflects its stealth and lethality.
As Israel faces threats from Iran and its proxies, the Ghost Unit continues to redefine modern warfare, proving that innovation and adaptability are as vital as firepower.
