On February 10 the Israel Defense Forces announced the formation of a new maneuver division, the 38th Division — the first such unit built from scratch in decades. The new formation will be drawn from the army’s basic training infrastructure, incorporating elements from officer and infantry schools as its initial nucleus, while dedicated communications and logistics units are being stood up in parallel.
The IDF says the 38th Division is expected to reach ground combat capability in 2027, reflecting a multi‑year effort rather than an immediate change in posture. Since the 1970s the Israeli army has not created new deep‑penetration maneuver divisions, focusing instead on border defense region formations and reorganising existing mobile brigades; the decision to create a fresh division therefore marks a notable institutional shift.
The move signals Israeli preparations for the possibility of large‑scale, high‑intensity warfare similar to past full‑scale Arab‑Israeli wars. Building a manoeuvre division entails not only personnel but heavy equipment, sustainment, and combined‑arms integration; the announcement that communications and logistics elements are being assembled acknowledges that mobility and sustainment are central to the new formation’s projected role.
Strategically, the 38th Division will alter Israel’s force calculus on multiple fronts. It bolsters conventional deterrence against state or near‑state adversaries capable of sustained operations along the northern border, and provides a more readily deployable formation should operations expand beyond current limited engagements. The timetable to 2027 also underscores that Israel is planning for a persistent security environment, not a short, one‑off mobilization.
The decision carries domestic and external implications. Domestically it reflects the IDF’s assessment of enduring threats and the political appetite to resource a major force expansion, with implications for manpower, budgets and reserve mobilisation. Internationally, the division’s effectiveness will depend on continued access to heavy platforms, munitions and aerial support — areas in which Israel relies heavily on partnership with the United States and its own defence industry — and it will be watched closely by Tehran, Hezbollah and neighbouring states for signs of escalation.