Elite IDF Unit Deploys to West Bank for First Time in 20 Years

The Israeli military's elite 98th Division command, a reserve formation, has been deployed to the West Bank for the first time in two decades. This marks a significant organizational shift, with the division taking responsibility for the Judea and Gush Etzion brigades, areas three times the size of the Gaza Strip and home to approximately 600,000 residents. The move aims to strengthen command and control and increase offensive operations in the region.

This deployment follows the division's completion of its mission in the north and its preparation for this new role. The IDF cites several operational factors driving the change, including the upcoming Jewish holidays which draw many visitors, the olive harvest season, nationalist crime incidents, significant expansion of settlements, and a notable rise in lone-wolf attacks, with three such incidents occurring in the past week alone.

The reorganization establishes three regional command centers: the Judea and Gush Etzion brigades under the 98th Division, the northern Samaria region under the Judea and Samaria Division, and the eastern Jordan Valley region under the 96th Division. Currently, 23 battalions operate across the West Bank, with an additional three in the Jordan Valley.

Despite no specific intelligence indicating imminent threats, the IDF is proactively preparing to thwart terror organizations. This heightened readiness comes amid ongoing operations following a car-ramming attack near the "Bel" checkpoint on Route 443, where a terrorist injured an IDF soldier before being neutralized. In response, the IDF raided over 70 locations in the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta, the terrorist's point of origin, and searched his home.

The intensity of operations in the West Bank has remained high since the start of the current conflict. In the past five months, nearly 10,000 offensive actions have been carried out, resulting in the arrest of approximately 1,500 wanted individuals, with 320 apprehended this month. Since January 2025, the IDF has maintained control over terror strongholds in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur al-Shams in northern Samaria to prevent terrorist infrastructure from being rebuilt.