99th Infantry Division (Israel) explained

Unit Name:	99th Ha'Bazak Division
Native Name:	עוצבת הבזק
Start Date:	2020–present
Country:	Israel
Size:	Division
Motto:	רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק (Desire and return like the appearance of lightning)
Battles:	2023 Israel–Hamas war
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]

Division organization 2024

• 99th Division "Ha'Bazak" (Reserve)
  • 11th Infantry Brigade "Yiftach" (Reserve)
    • 5037th Infantry Battalion
    • 7220th Infantry Battalion
    • 8226th Infantry Battalion
    • (7810th) Reconnaissance Battalion
    • 5011th Logistic Battalion
  • 179th Armored Brigade "Re'em" (Reserve)
    • 7029th Armored Battalion
    • 8104th Armored Battalion
    • 8130th Armored Battalion
    • 5352nd Reconnaissance Company
    • 710th Combat Engineer Battalion
    • Logistic Battalion
  • 646th Paratroopers Brigade "Schualey Marom" (Reserve)
    • 420th Paratroopers Battalion
    • 466th Paratroopers Battalion
    • 8105th Paratroopers Battalion
    • (6646th) Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Logistic Battalion
      • • 900th Infantry Brigade "Kfir" 90th Infantry Battalion "Nachshon"
    • 92nd Infantry Battalion "Shimshon"
    • 94th Infantry Battalion "Duchifat"
    • 97th Infantry Battalion "Netzah Yehuda"
    • (93rd) Reconnaissance Battalion "Haruv"
    • Logistic Battalion
  • Division Logistic Brigade
  • 807th Division Signal Battalion

See also

• Outline of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
• Timeline of the 2023 Gaza Strip healthcare collapse
• Timeline of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2023
• List of military engagements during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

Notes and References

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