Sayeret Matkal (Hebrew: סיירת מטכ"ל, General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) is a special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which is subordinated to the intelligence directorate Aman. First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also tasked with counter-terrorism and hostage rescue beyond Israel's borders. The unit is modeled after the British Army's Special Air Service, taking the unit's motto "Who Dares Wins". It is directly subordinate to the IDF's Directorate of Military Intelligence. It is known in the IDF as "the Unit".
The unit is best known for Operation Thunderbolt, commonly known as Operation Entebbe, in which it rescued more than 100 Air France passengers hijacked and flown to Uganda by PFLP-EO terrorists, killing 52 enemy combatants while losing only the assault element commander, Yonatan Netanyahu, and three hostages.
Read more about Sayeret Matkal: History, Recruitment and Training, Notable Sayeret Matkal Figures, Known Operations