The Sayeret Matkal friends who met at the IDF induction base - and continued together to command the Givati and Golani Brigades
Col. Bar Bashan and Col. Ayoub Kayouf, friends from the elite Sayeret Matkal unit who began their service together in November 2003, continue on a parallel command path. Kayouf commands the Golani Brigade, and last week it was decided that Bashan will be appointed the next commander of the Givati Brigade. The article reviews their shared career, the activities of Sayeret Matkal since October 7, and its role as a breeding ground for senior IDF commanders.
Col. Bar Bashan and Col. Ayoub Kayouf, two officers from the Israeli Air Force's elite Sayeret Matkal unit, continue on an almost parallel command path. The two first met at the IDF induction base in November 2003, went through the Sayeret Matkal training course together, slept side by side during basic training, and graduated together from Officer Training School. Since then, their paths have crossed repeatedly: both commanded Sayeret Matkal one after the other, Kayouf went to Golani and Bashan to Givati, and today Kayouf commands the Golani Brigade while last week it was decided that Bashan will be the next commander of the Givati Brigade. The article describes Sayeret Matkal's activities since October 7, 2023, including the fierce battles at Be'eri, Re'im, and Alumim, where the unit lost 14 fighters and commanders. Later, the unit's fighters participated in the ground maneuver in Gaza, operations at Shifa Hospital, and missions in Judea and Samaria, southern Lebanon, and Syria. The operational highlight revealed was Operation "Many Ways" on the night of September 8-9, 2024, deep in Syria, where over 100 Sayeret Matkal fighters destroyed an underground site for manufacturing precision missiles for Iran. The article presents Sayeret Matkal as a breeding ground for senior IDF commanders, emphasizing the unit's ability to cultivate officers who can take unique operational experience and integrate it into commanding regular infantry brigades. Bar Bashan and Ayoub Kayouf are seen as having a promising future in the military high command, and may even compete for the position of Chief of Staff in the future.