| Sword Battalion | |
|---|---|
| גְּדוּד חֶרֶב كتيبة السيف | |
 | |
| Active | 1948–2015 |
| Country |  Israel |
| Branch |  Ground Forces |
| Type | Light infantry |
| Role | Anti-guerrilla warfare Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Close-quarters combat Counterinsurgency Desert warfare Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Urban warfare |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | 91st Division |
| Nickname(s) | IDF Minorities Unit |
| Engagements | First Arab–Israeli War (1948–1949)
Israeli Reprisal Operations (1949–1966) Second Arab–Israeli War (1956) Third Arab–Israeli War (1967) Arab–Israeli War of Attrition (1967–1970) Fourth Arab–Israeli War (1973) Operation Litani (1978) First Lebanon War (1982–1985) South Lebanon War (1985–2000) First Intifada (1987–1993) Second Intifada (2000–2005) Second Lebanon War (2006) Operation Cast Lead (2008–2009) Operation Pillar of Defense (2012) Operation Protective Edge (2014) |
The Sword Battalion (Hebrew: גְּדוּד חֶרֶב Gdud Ḥerev; Arabic: كتيبة السيف Katībat al-Sayf), previously Unit 300 and also known as the IDF Minorities Unit, was an Arab-dominated military unit of the Israel Defense Forces. It predominantly enlisted Druze, who made up the majority in the unit until it was disbanded in 2015, although a sizable number of recruits were Bedouin and non-Arab Circassians. Men from the Druze and Circassian communities are subject to Israeli conscription laws, while Bedouin and other Arabs may voluntarily enlist for military service.