August 3, 2025: Israel has formed Refaim, a new experimental Special Operations unit combining ground operations drones, robotics, and real-time intelligence. Officially known as the 888 Multi-Dimensional Unit, Refaim is the Israeli Defense Forces/IDF effort to apply new drone warfare weapons and techniques while gathering information on who the enemy is, where they are and what they can do. In the midst of all this, Refaim will coordinate attacks on detected targets from army , air force and naval units.

Meanwhile, the Americans created Maven, a software-based target selection system that was used in 2023 to help the IDF quickly identify and attack 85 targets in seven different areas of Iraq and Syria. Israel created its own system called Gospel that worked the same way Maven did. Both were based on Ukraine’s similar but quite original and deadly effective software fire control system used in stopping the 2022 Russian invasion.

This use of enhanced mission planning software has been around for nearly a decade, but the concept has been around for decades until technology and software capabilities reached the point that such systems became reliable and useful.

While some civilians regard AI enhanced target selection as a nightmarish and improbable effort, the reality is that it works for the troops whose lives depend on it. The success in using AI-based software for target selections is being expanded to include other types of intelligence collection. The fact of the matter is that an AI-based system can make accurate decisions more quickly than human analysts. Human operators must constantly monitor this process to watch out for errors made in the process. Some of those errors were caused by faulty software which is ultimately created by human software engineers. There are always humans in the loop, either directly or indirectly.

American operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and some parts of South Asia, have regularly used algorithms to help decide the state of these regions and what actions the United States should take.

U.S. forces began using Project Maven's computer vision systems in real campaigns after Hamas' surprise attack on Israel during October 2023. Israeli intelligence was criticized for not detecting the Hamas operation. Israeli intelligence did detect the Hamas plans, but Hamas devised a deception that persuaded the Israelis that there was no danger. Successful deception and surprise are one of the most effective military techniques if you can make it work. Hamas did make it work.

Maven and Gospel are AI-based systems used by the Israeli military to rapidly identify and target enemy combatants and equipment, enhancing targeting capabilities during operations. It was first utilized during Israel's conflict with Hamas in 2021 and has been designed to reduce civilian casualties while increasing the speed of targeting decisions.

Israel has other Special Operations units that perform similar functions. In addition there are other ways to develop new capabilities in troops. One technique was to use Role Playing Games/RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons/D&D. It was long suspected that the IDF took a dim view of recruits who admitted to playing D&D. But eventually the IDF admitted that recruits who indulge in this sort of thing are less likely to get a high security clearance, which bars them from many good jobs in intelligence, electronics or special operations. This was no small matter, for in Israel nearly everyone serves in the IDF, and a good job in the military opens doors to good civilian jobs as well. The IDF has said that D&D players are detached from reality and susceptible to influence. The IDF described how these people had a tendency to be influenced by external factors which could cloud their judgment. They may be detached from reality or have a weak personality. These are elements that make it difficult to obtain a security clea

The IDF never revealed how many recruits were affected by this policy, or how long it has been in place. Rumors about the policy have been circulating among young Israeli D&D players for several years, and as a result, many do not admit to playing RPGs when they are interviewed by IDF screeners. The IDF admitted that it has had to resort to indirect interrogation methods in order to find out which recruits were D&D players. Many of these were then sent to see IDF psychologists.

In the United States, where RPGs were invented in the early 1970s, there have been many accusations by religious leaders, lawyers and distraught parents about the bad effects of playing RPGs. There has never been any concrete evidence that RPGs do any harm. The American military encourages the use of RPG and other games by troops, both for recreation and professional training. RPG game design techniques have been used in professional wargames.

In response to the IDF revelation, one D&D player provided a list of positive reasons for having IDF recruits who play D&D. RPGs develop the ability to make split second decisions while simultaneously thinking about how the entire scenario will play out. RPGs also help someone to think outside the box and develop new concepts. Then there is a heightened ability to read people and determine what their intentions are.

These are all items that Refaim operators continually use and develop for use in combat.