The Times of Israel

The Israeli military announces the formation of two new infantry battalions under the Golani and Nahal brigades, in a move aimed at expanding the Ground Forces. The 11th "Alon" Battalion in the Golani Brigade and the 935th "Nofekh" Battalion in the Nahal Brigade will both serve as reconnaissance-strike units, tasked with locating and destroying enemy targets in real time. The military says the move follows staff work conducted by the Ground Forces and the Personnel Directorate, which was recently approved by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. "The battalions, which are currently in the process of being established, will serve as a force multiplier, with the aim of strengthening the operational capabilities of combat troops on the ground, making optimal use of the IDF's combat personnel, and adapting them to changing operational needs," the military says. The IDF says the two battalions will specialize in operating drones, robotics, surveillance and other visual intelligence systems, as well as advanced weaponry and precision-guided munitions, "to improve reconnaissance and attack capabilities on the battlefield." Full details regarding the establishment of the two battalions have not yet been finalized, and will be conveyed to troops serving in the units once they are, the army adds.

The military says it has withdrawn the headquarters of the 98th Division from the West Bank, after the unit was deployed to the territory over a month ago to alleviate pressure from the Judea and Samaria Division amid heightened tensions. The 98th Division's headquarters had taken command on September 25 over the Judea and Etzion regional brigades, tasked with the southern portion of the West Bank, without deploying its own organic units. The military says the two regional brigades under the command of the division headquarters carried out 1,500 operations, during which 140 suspects were apprehended, and some 35 weapons were seized. Also, during the time the division's headquarters was in charge of the southern part of the West Bank, two soldiers were killed in a shooting attack at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Hebron. The IDF says the 98th Division will now be on standby, while "focusing on readiness and preparations for future scenarios."

A total of 285 members of the ultra-Orthodox community enlisted in the military over the past week, the IDF says. The 285 young Haredi men have been placed in combat support roles, and over the next two months there will be additional draft days for ultra-Orthodox soldiers as part of the November-December enlistment period, including for combat units. "The units and induction bases have prepared to receive the new recruits and provide the necessary framework to accommodate their way of life," the army says. The IDF says that it welcomes those joining its ranks and will continue working to expand the integration of ultra-Orthodox men into "meaningful military service, while preserving their way of life and out of a commitment to the security of the state and the resilience of Israeli society."