Or Ben-Yehuda
Or Ben-Yehuda | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Native name | אור ליבני-בן יהודה |
| Born | 1989 (age 36–37) |
| Allegiance | Israel |
Service years | 2007-present |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands | Caracal Battalion |
Or Livni Ben-Yehuda (Hebrew: אור ליבני-בן יהודה; born 1989) is an IDF officer who was in command of Caracal Battalion from July 2023 to July 2025, one of the mixed-gender IDF units.[1] She is the first woman to command a border defense battalion in the IDF.[2]
Career
She enlisted in 2007 and after completing basic training attended the squad commanders’ course, then trained at Bahad 1 officer training school before being assigned as a platoon commander. She left for the reserve in 2012, but was soon recalled to reserve duty.[1] She was wounded in 2014 after coming under fire by smugglers with machine guns and anti-tank weapons on the Sinai border.[3]
In October 2023, she led Caracal Battalion in an hours-long battle in the Gaza envelope, halting the advance of Hamas, killing an estimated 100 of them.[4][5]
She was interviewed by the New York Times about the experience of being a woman combat soldier in Gaza.[4]
See also
- Avraham Hovelashvili - deputy commander of Caracal battalion
References
- 1 2 Ganot, Gal (2025-07-26). "Lioness: She led Israel's first mixed-gender battalion into combat—changing the rules forever". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- ↑ Shoval, Lilach (2022-08-02). "IDF launches new mixed-gender infantry battalion". Israel Hayom. Archived from the original on 2025-09-17. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- ↑ Gross, Judah Ari (2016-10-30). "On Egypt border, mixed-gender unit fights old ideas and new foes". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- 1 2 Kershner, Isabel (2024-01-19). "Israeli Women Fight on Front Line in Gaza, a First". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- ↑ "Squad of female IDF combat troops eliminated nearly 100 Hamas terrorists". The Jerusalem Post. 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2026-06-18.