Oz Brigade

The 89th Brigade "Oz" ("Courage" in Hebrew) is a special operation forces brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was established in December 2015. The new brigade, dubbed the Commando Brigade, is composed solely of infantry special-operations units removed from their previous chain of command structures to create a new tactical formation. Commanded by Aluf Mishne (Colonel) Omer Cohen, the brigade operates as part of the 98th Division.

Ideation and development
According to the IDF, the Commando Brigade is the brainchild of Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot and is the implementation of operational lessons learned during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014 and the Second Lebanon War in 2006. According to the 98th Division Commander, the brigade is an integration of the elite teams of the Infantry Corps under one command, and a body expected to lead operational and tactical thinking in order to establish a new warfare doctrine. The new Brigade is intended to provide special operations units a previously lacking centre of gravity.

The concept of a commando brigade was developed by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot during the formulation of the 5-years military plan. The new brigade is said to draw further parallels between Israel's special forces and American 75th Ranger Regiment.

Other special-operations units, Sayeret Matkal, Shayetet 13, Shaldag, Oketz and Yahalom continue to operate independently.

Brigade organization 2024
The 89th Brigade consists of three (formerly four) special operations units of the IDF: The brigade had a fourth battalion, the now defunct Unit 845, or "Rimon", desert warfare unit, which was absorbed into Maglan in June 2018. As of 2023, the brigade consists of:


 * 89th Oz Brigade.png 89th Commando Brigade Oz/Courage
 * Unit 212 "Maglan" – special reconnaissance unit
 * Unit 217 "Duvdevan" – undercover counter terrorism unit
 * Unit 621 "Egoz" – guerilla warfare unit
 * Commando School "Oz"
 * Aerial Medical Unit
 * Logistic Battalion
 * Signal Company

Commanders

 * Brigadier General David Zini (2015–2017)
 * Brigadier General Avi Blot (2017–2018)
 * Colonel Kobi Heller (2018 –2021)
 * Brigadier General Meni Liberty (2021–2023)
 * Colonel Omer Cohen (2023-present)

Insignia
The insignia chosen for the new brigade depicts the Hebrew letter Quf (ק), the first letter in the Hebrew word for Commando (קומנדו), composed of a commando knife rising from the sea and a double headed arrow above it. It symbolizes the special designation of the brigade and its mobility, by air, land or sea.