Armored Corps (Israel) - Reserve or Disbanded Units

Reserve or Disbanded Units

• 10th Armored Brigade

Also known as Harel Brigade. The brigade was established on 16 April 1948 as a division of the Palmach, immediately after Operation Nachshon.

Yitzhak Rabin was appointed as its first commander. During the Suez Crisis (Kadesh Operation) in 1956, the brigade fought as an infantry brigade commanded by Shmuel Gudar. In 1959, the brigade was made into a reserve unit of the Armored Corps. In the Six Days War, the brigade fought on the battles for Jerusalem under the command of Uri Ben Ari.

Today the brigade is part of Uzvat Amud ha-Esh ("Pillar of Fire").

• 14th Armored Brigade

The brigade was active during the War of Attrition when it split to provide the basis for the 401st Armoured Brigade. During the Yom Kippur War, it was initially an armored reserve supporting the infantry brigades holding the Bar-Lev Line. It suffered terrible casualties during the war but was rebuilt afterwards.

• 211th Brigade

Also known as the Yishai (acronym for "Guardians of Jerusalem Unit"), during the Lebanon War of 1982, it was famously led by Colonel Eli Geva, who during the Siege of Beirut refused to lead his soldiers into the city for moral reasons. He was dismissed from the army, and the brigade itself was dissolved in the early 1990s.

• 847th Brigade

This is a reserve brigade also known as Merkavot HaPlada (Steel Chariots), equipped with Mark 2 Merkava tanks. Up to the year 2000 the main equipment was old Magach tanks. Recently, the brigade took part in the 2006 Lebanon War, most notably in the Battle of Bint Jbeil and battle of Yaroon, in the war the brigade eliminated approximately 60 Hezbollah fighters.

• 500th Brigade

Also known as the Kfir ("Young Lion") Formation, this was a regular armor brigade which operated from 1972 until 2003. During the Yom Kippur War, it participated in the Battle of Suez. During the Lebanon War of 1982, it fought in the framework of the Eastern force and participated in the Eyn Zhalata battle. In 2003, due to changes in the IDF structure, and the lessening of the threat from the eastern front (due to the USA war in Iraq) the brigade was dissolved.