98th Division HQ Completes Judea and Samaria Mission, Returns to General Staff Reserve

The headquarters of the IDF’s 98th Division completed its mission in Judea and Samaria on Sunday, November 8, the military announced. It had commanded the Judea and Etzion Regional Brigades, part of the Judea and Samaria Division, since September 25. The headquarters will return to its role as a General Staff reserve division. The IDF said the two regional brigades carried out more than 1,500 counterterrorism operations under the headquarters’ command, apprehended more than 140 suspects and located approximately 35 weapons. It described the mission as “enabling civilians to maintain their daily routines while confronting terrorist threats.” The deployment reinforced command and control and defensive and offensive operations, drawing on lessons from combat in Gaza and Lebanon. During the deployment, Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem fell in an encounter with terrorists in the Judea Brigade’s area. The IDF said their actions prevented a serious attack against Israeli civilians. Its account also described security arrangements that enabled hundreds of thousands of civilians to visit the Cave of the Patriarchs safely during the intermediate days of Sukkot and the recent Shabbat Chayei Sarah weekend. The military said the 98th Division and the Judea and Samaria Division worked together on operational learning and joint exercises during the assignment. With the command mission complete, the 98th Division will strengthen its readiness for additional operational scenarios as it resumes its General Staff reserve role, according to the announcement.