31°46′40.7″N 35°14′07.7″E
Top Stories
The Wire
← Topics
Organization · The Front

Israel Defense Forces

National military of the State of Israel

Israel Defense Forces
Editorial visualNational military of the State of Israel

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF, Hebrew acronym Tzahal) is the national military of the State of Israel, formed in 1948. It comprises ground, air and naval branches and operates as a conscript force under civilian government control.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) — Hebrew acronym Tzahal (צה״ל), from Tzva HaHagana LeYisrael, "the Army of Defense for Israel" — is the national military of the State of Israel. It was established on 26 May 1948 by order of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, who unified the pre-state Jewish paramilitary organizations of the Yishuv, chiefly the Haganah, into a single conscript army.

The IDF consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy. It is one of the few militaries to conscript both men and women, with regular service typically lasting roughly two to three years; it is backed by a large reserve force. Operational command runs through the Chief of the General Staff (Ramatkal), who is subordinate to the Defense Minister and the elected government. As of 2026, the post is held by Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, who took office on 5 March 2025.

Reference

Related Coverage
StatecraftStrongUpdated

Yonatan Shmeriz accuses Defense Minister, IDF personnel chief of political delay in fallen brother's recognition

Yonatan Shmeriz, brother of fallen soldier Alon Shmeriz, said the Supreme Court's decision upholding the Defense Minister's rejection was 'spitting in the face of the family' and accused the Defense Minister and Head of Manpower Directorate of delaying recognition for political reasons, according to N12.

3 sources· 4 developments· 12:54–13:50
The Zioneer Intelligence DeskInitially reportedUpdated6 minutes ago
StatecraftStrongUpdated

Netanyahu confirms Washington trip, details IDF operations in Judea and Samaria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the cabinet meeting that he will fly to Washington on Monday to meet President Trump and attend Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. He also outlined ongoing IDF operations in Judea and Samaria, including entry into a hospital in Nablus, and said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the ICC prosecutor's ouster.

Israel Defense ForcesBenjamin NetanyahuDonald Trump
4 sources· 3 developments· 13:10–13:24
The Zioneer Intelligence DeskInitially reportedUpdated32 minutes ago
StatecraftDeveloping

Security Cabinet to Discuss Gaza Humanitarian Zone Pilot

Israel's security cabinet is expected to receive details Sunday on a pilot project to establish a 'Hamas-free' humanitarian zone near Rafah, led by the Peace Council and backed by the IDF and an international stabilization force, according to a report by Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom).

2 sources
The Zioneer Intelligence Desk
The FrontDevelopingUpdated

IDF seals home of terrorist Farouk Ramadan overnight after Tell attack

The IDF sealed the home of Farouk Ramadan, the Palestinian terrorist who carried out the deadly shooting attack near the West Bank village of Tell on Friday, killing Maj. Yuval Ezra and Master Sgt. (res.) Benayahu Mellet, according to Army Radio (N13) reporters. The sealing is a preparatory step toward eventual demolition.

11 sources· 11 developments· 06:07–13:12
The Zioneer Intelligence DeskInitially reportedUpdated43 minutes ago
The FrontStrongUpdated

N12 journalist confirms Hamas internal security chief killed in Deir al-Balah strike

Sapir Lipkin (N12) reports that the head of Hamas's Internal Security Mechanism for the central Gaza Strip, identified as Wael al-Ludawi, was eliminated in an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. The report follows earlier unconfirmed accounts from Arab sources.

5 sources· 6 developments· 12:38–13:09
The Zioneer Intelligence DeskInitially reportedUpdated46 minutes ago
The FrontStrongUpdated

IDF Bars Palestinian Workers from Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria, Citing Security

The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday barred Palestinian laborers from entering Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, effective immediately. Industrial zones remain open, and construction sites may be exempted at a community's request, the military said. The order follows a series of Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.

4 sources· 4 developments· 00:12–13:02
The Zioneer Intelligence DeskInitially reportedUpdated53 minutes ago