By Pesach Benson • March 23, 2026
Jerusalem, 23 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) — For the first time, Israel’s Orthodox (Haredi) Hasmonean Brigade is operating in Southern Lebanon, conducting targeted raids, the Israel Defense Forces disclosed on Monday.
The brigade has previously seen action in Syria, the Gaza Strip, and Judea and Samaria. Its deployment to Lebanon marks a significant expansion of its operational scope.
“The Hasmonean Brigade will continue to operate bravely in any sector where it is required,” said Lieutenant Colonel S., the brigade’s commander. “In parallel with operational activity, we will continue to train the future generation of ultra-Orthodox commanders who will lead the brigade forward. This is another milestone for the brigade, which will continue to operate on the front lines, fighting while maintaining the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle of its fighters.”
On Sunday, the brigade began its first officer training course at its dedicated training base, combining operational experience with leadership development for its members.
The IDF said the brigade’s activity in Lebanon is part of broader efforts to strengthen Israel’s northern border, where tensions have escalated amid ongoing regional conflicts.
Separately, the Israeli government informed the High Court that it will not address the issue of drafting Haredi men into the military during the current war with Iran. Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs said the government is focused on “defeating the enemy and in providing support to the home front,” postponing any action on conscription until after the conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have indicated that discussions on the matter are on hold, as the war has temporarily sidelined internal political disputes.
The establishment of the Hasmonean Brigade is part of the IDF’s broader effort to expand enlistment of Haredi men amid personnel shortages and ongoing controversy surrounding deferments for yeshiva students.
In early February, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir signed a landmark order establishing formal guidelines for integrating Haredi Jews into military service. It marked the first time such arrangements were codified in an official General Staff order.
Integrating Haredi Jews into military life is one of Israel’s most politically sensitive issues, as the army faces manpower shortages.
Haredi military service has long been contentious in Israel, where most Haredi men have traditionally been exempt from the mandatory draft to pursue religious studies. The issue has intensified since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on southern communities. Strained by two years of war and extended reserve duty, the army projects it will lack 17,000 soldiers starting in 2027, as troops who enlisted for shortened 30-month terms begin completing service.
The military began making plans to draft yeshiva students after Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled in 2024 that exemptions for the Haredi community were illegal.
Military service is compulsory for all Israeli citizens. However, Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, and the country’s leading rabbis agreed to a status quo that deferred military service for Haredi men studying in yeshivot, or religious institutions. At the time, no more than several hundred men were studying in yeshivot.
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