From Shaldag Command to IDF Brigades: The Parallel Paths of Bashan and Kayouf
Two elite Shaldag veterans, Colonels Bar Bashan and Ayub Kayouf, are set to command the Givati and Golani brigades, marking a major shift in IDF leadership.
Two officers who began their military careers side by side in the elite Shaldag unit are now set to command two of the IDF's five main infantry brigades. Colonel Ayub Kayouf already commands the Golani Brigade, while Colonel Bar Bashan has been designated as the next commander of the Givati Brigade. Their parallel journeys reflect the unique path of Shaldag, an Air Force special operations unit that has undergone profound transformations and heavy combat since October 7, 2023.
From Recruitment Tents to Brigade Commands
Bar Bashan and Ayub Kayouf grew up as neighbors in the north—Bashan in Yokneam HaMoshava and Kayouf in Usfiya—but they only met upon drafting into the IDF in November 2003. They shared a tent during basic training, graduated together from IDF Officer Candidate School (Bahad 1), and joined Shaldag. Over the years, their paths crossed repeatedly: both served in platoon and battalion command positions, and both eventually vied for the role of Shaldag commander. Kayouf, the unit's first Druze commander, took the helm first, followed later by Bashan. Now, both veterans are stepping into top regional and brigade-level leadership roles.
The Heavy Price and Operational Shift
The outbreak of the war on October 7, 2003, thrust Shaldag directly into the chaos of the Gaza envelope. The unit's response team landed in Be'eri at 08:47, engaging in fierce, multi-hour battles alongside forces in Re'im, Alumim, and other communities to rescue civilians under fire. Shaldag paid a heavy price during the conflict, losing 14 soldiers and commanders. Despite facing subsequent public scrutiny over the initial battles, the unit quickly pivoted from defense to offense, participating in complex ground maneuvers in Gaza, including the high-profile operation at Shifa Hospital.
"Since October 7, unit fighters have carried out hundreds of operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and other arenas," noted the outgoing Shaldag leadership.
Deep-Strike Operations and Future Leadership
Among the most notable missions was Operation 'Many Ways' on September 8-9, 2024, when over a hundred Shaldag commandos were airlifted deep into Masyaf, Syria, to dismantle an underground precision-missile facility linked to Iran. This capability to combine intelligence, advanced technology, and boots on the ground exemplifies why Shaldag has become the spearhead of the military. By sending officers like Bashan and Kayouf out of the special forces ecosystem and into standard infantry brigades, the IDF ensures that frontline commanders bring critical skills in uncertainty management, multi-domain firepower, and large-scale operational planning to the conventional forces.
