The IDF's integration of women into the Armored Corps has taken a significant leap forward. Israel Hayom has learned that for the first time, female tank operators have been deployed on defensive missions in areas surrounding the Gaza Strip, a role previously limited to the Israel-Egypt border.
This pioneering move involves a platoon of female tank operators, who have been stationed to bolster defenses in the southern brigade's sector of the Gaza Strip. The deployment was further expanded last Thursday with another platoon, resulting in two female-operated tank platoons now guarding the Gaza Strip border.
This deployment marks a historic first for the IDF, positioning female armored corps soldiers on the Gaza Strip border instead of their usual posts along the Egyptian border. The only previous exception occurred during the events of Oct. 7, when female tank operators were rapidly deployed to assist in repelling Hamas' devastating surprise attack. These soldiers are expected to maintain their positions in the southern Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future.
Noa Mankin, the commander of the company, expressed confidence in her unit's capabilities: "Our company will continue to execute any assigned task with the utmost proficiency. We play a crucial role in the combat forces defending Israel, and we will continue to do so. We take pride in our service and remain committed to giving our all, whether in routine operations or emergencies, wherever we're needed."
The IDF's decision to station women on the Gaza Strip border signifies a major development, reflecting the military's trust in its trained female tank operators and their necessity in defensive operations.
Simultaneously, the IDF confirmed the continuation of trials integrating women into combat roles within Yahalom, the Combat Engineering Corps' Special Operations Unit, the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal), and Extraction Unit 669. Additionally, the trial for women in infantry roles is set to proceed as scheduled, despite the ongoing conflict.
Addressing the potential expansion of combat roles for women, the IDF acknowledged the courageous participation of female soldiers in various capacities during the Oct. 7 events and throughout the subsequent war. However, the military emphasized that the debriefing and analysis processes remain ongoing, stating, "We are not yet in a position to draw professional, responsible, and well-founded conclusions necessary for decisions regarding the placement of women in additional combat roles."
