Maglan

Unit insignia

Maglan (Hebrew: מגלן. Also known as Unit 212 or Sayeret Maglan) is an Israeli Special Forces unit which specializes in operating behind enemy lines and deep in enemy territory using advanced technologies and weaponry.

The unit's name is derived from the Ibis bird (In Hebrew: Maglan).

The IDF keeps the unit's designated missions a secret and gives no information about it or the operations in which the unit takes part. Maglan only became publicly known in 2006. Very little is known about the unit, only that the force performs top secret operations behind enemy lines, deep within hostile territory. Like Sayeret Matkal, although the operators in the unit wear a red beret and brown combat boots and conduct basic training at one of the paratroopers' bases, they are not part of the Paratroop Brigade. Maglan has a 17 months training program, and many of the candidates drop out due to the harsh nature of the program. Similarly to Sayeret Matkal, Maglan answers to the IDF's General Staff and not to one of its regional commands.

Maglan is a relatively new unit. It is rumored that it was deployed on SCUD hunting missions in Iraq during the First Gulf War in 1991.

During the Second Lebanon War, the unit took part in many operations and achieved great success. During Operation Beach-Boys, the unit operated along the western coastal strip of Lebanon and destroyed 250 targets, among them 40 rocket launchers.