99th Infantry Division (Israel)

99th Ha'Bazak Division
עוצבת הבזק
99th Ha'Bazak Division Tag
Founded2020–present
Country Israel
Branch Israeli Ground Forces
SizeDivision
Motto(s)רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק
(Desire and return like the appearance of lightning)
Engagements2023 Israel–Hamas war
Commanders
Current
commander		Tat Aluf Barak Hiram

The Israeli 99th "Ha'Bazak" Infantry Division is a reserve division under the aegis of the Central Command.

On 15 September 2020, the division was established by Avi Rosenfeld and was based on the design of the Idan Division that was closed.[1] It was the only brigade in the IDF not routinely subordinate to regional command, but instead under the command of the Maneuvering System in the Ground Forces.

In July 2023, the Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzl Halevi, approved the subordination of the brigade to the Central Command.[2] As part of this change, the multidimensional special operations Unit 888 (Wraith's Unit),[3][4][5][6] left Brigade 99 and remained subordinate to the Maneuvering System.

Following a surprise attack on the Gaza envelope in October 2023, the division commander, Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, operated with forces under his command from the division and other units to cleanse the area in the Gaza envelope, particularly in Kibbutz Be'eri.[7][8]

As part of the ground manoeuvre in the Gaza Strip during the Operation Iron Sword, the division manoeuvred in southern Gaza and destroyed terrorist infrastructure, weaponry, and Hamas tunnels.[9]

  1. ^ "רב זירתית ומותאמת לשדה הקרב המודרני: הכירו את האוגדה החדשה של צה"ל". www.maariv.co.il. 2020-08-17. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  2. ^ "עוצבת "הבזק" (99) תוכפף לפיקוד המרכז". www.idf.il. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  3. ^ "IDF launches snap drill with thousands of troops, simulating fighting in north | The Times of Israel".
  4. ^ "IDF's new 99th Division wraps up its first drill, simulating war in north | The Times of Israel".
  5. ^ "How is the IDF practicing multidimensional warfare?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. July 1, 2022.
  6. ^ "Israel's 99th Division trains ground and air units together". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. June 16, 2022.
  7. ^ "תא"ל ברק חירם: כך חיסלנו יותר ממאה מחבלים בקיבוץ בארי". www.inn.co.il. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  8. ^ "קצין בכיר על הטבח בבארי: "כשלנו בהגנה, המחבלים התחפשו לחיילים" | חדשות 13". רשת 13 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  9. ^ "Israel-Hamas war: IDF takes over Gaza City's south, pushing in center". The Jerusalem Post. 2023-12-21. Retrieved 2023-12-21.