Or Ben-Yehuda
Israeli military officer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Or Livni Ben-Yehuda (Hebrew: אור ליבני-בן יהודה; born 1989) is an IDF officer who was in command of Caracal Battalion from July 2023 to July 2025, one of the mixed-gender IDF units.[1] She is the first woman to command a border defense battalion in the IDF.[2]
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Or Ben-Yehuda | |
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| Native name | אור ליבני-בן יהודה |
| Born | 1989 (age 36–37) |
| Allegiance | Israel |
Service years | 2007-present |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands | Caracal Battalion |
Career
She enlisted in 2007 and after completing basic training attended the squad commanders’ course, then trained at Bahad 1 officer training school before being assigned as a platoon commander. She left for the reserve in 2012, but was soon recalled to reserve duty.[1] She was wounded in 2014 after coming under fire by smugglers with machine guns and anti-tank weapons on the Sinai border.[3]
In October 2023, she led Caracal Battalion in an hours-long battle in the Gaza envelope, halting the advance of Hamas, killing an estimated 100 of them.[4][5]
She was interviewed by the New York Times about the experience of being a woman combat soldier in Gaza.[4]
See also
- Avraham Hovelashvili - deputy commander of Caracal battalion