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Female field intelligence soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are operating deeper inside Syria than ever before, conducting covert drone missions that are quietly reshaping Israel’s security posture. Embedded with Battalion 595, The Magazine documented their work from Position 720, a key vantage point near the Israel-Syria-Jordan tri-border.
Led by Battalion Commander Lt. Col. G and Operations Officer Maj. M, the unit relies heavily on female drone operators—identified as S, D, and V—who provide real-time intelligence to ground forces inside Syria.
Far from operating drones from protected rooms, these soldiers work close to the front, often crossing into hostile territory to manually launch and steer tactical drones at short range.
Since the 2023-2025 war, drone use in the IDF has expanded dramatically. “Every platoon commander, and sometimes even individual soldiers, now carries a drone,” Maj. M said. “Intelligence is immediate, and every second counts.”
But collecting that intelligence requires both skill and risk. Lt. Col. G explained that one of the key challenges is choosing the correct flight altitude. Flying low increases image clarity but risks detection, which could alert hostile elements and compromise the mission.
Battalion 595 has identified, tracked, and helped capture Iranians, Hamas operatives, and jihadists across Israel’s Syrian buffer zone. Their work hinges on stealth—and on the soldiers’ ability to endure long stretches in hostile terrain.
S: Long missions, little sleep, high stakes
Combat intelligence soldier S has spent two and a half years in the unit. Before Israel’s December 2024 invasion and creation of the Syrian buffer zone, she conducted missions from outside Syrian territory. Now, she regularly operates around Position 720 and along the Yarmuk River.
She described spending up to two weeks in the field with minimal sleep, guiding operations for the Alexandroni Brigade and the 890 Paratroopers Unit. In one mission deep inside Syria, she and her team tracked four Iran-linked individuals, studying each target’s routines, movement patterns, and vulnerabilities.
D: Night operations and elaborate traps
Fellow soldier D said most missions take place at night to stay hidden from hostile groups. Her team monitors who enters and exits key structures and identifies potential threats before they emerge.
D recalled an operation in which her team spent four hours constructing a trap for a high-value target. They briefed a large group of soldiers, mapping out exactly how the individual might flee and how to block every escape route.
V: Seizing new ground and supporting paratroopers
V, who has served just over two years, took part in the IDF’s December 8 expansion of the buffer zone. She joined other intelligence teams in supporting paratroopers during deep-entry missions and in marking targets for ground forces.
She also spoke about the challenges that arose when hundreds of Israeli Druze crossed into Syria earlier this year. Although the IDF failed to block them, senior officers said crowd control is primarily a police responsibility. The military’s focus, they noted, remains on countering enemy forces.
Command decisions and Iranian threats
Lt. Col. G described how decisions are made about whether to arrest or eliminate Iranian or jihadist operatives. Higher-ranking commanders typically set mission objectives, but if conditions shift mid-operation, G adjusts the plan on the ground.
He highlighted one mission where he set up a mobile forward command center inside Syria to maintain direct control. Timing, he said, is critical—knowing when a target is isolated, when a village is active, and which vehicles might be used for escape.
As Israel adapts to new threats, these female intelligence soldiers are now integral to frontline combat. Their quiet, close-range drone work is placing them at the center of Israel’s most sensitive operations, deep in enemy territory.