The Israel Defense Forces, alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal (צה״ל), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus. The IDF is headed by the Chief of the General Staff, who is subordinate to the Israeli Defense Minister.
Aluf is a senior military rank in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for officers who in other countries would have the rank of general, air marshal, or admiral. In addition to the aluf rank, four other ranks are derivatives of the word, together, constituting the five highest ranks in the IDF.
Aviv Kohavi was the 22nd Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on January 15, 2019. Before becoming Lieutenant General (Rav-Aluf), he was commander of the Gaza Division, commander of the Northern Command, commander of the Paratroopers Brigade and Military Intelligence Director.
Israeli General Staff or General Headquarters, abbreviated Matkal (מטכ"ל), is the supreme command of the Israel Defense Forces. It is based in the Kirya compound in Tel Aviv.
The Israeli Personnel Directorate, formerly called the Manpower Directorate and the Human Resources Directorate, is the Israel Defense Forces body that holds responsibility for planning and coordination of Human Resources placement and movement within the IDF, planning and management of all military Human Resources, and responsibility for the welfare of all servicemembers. The current Head of the Personnel Directorate is Major General Yaniv Asor.
The Israeli Computer and IT Directorate is the Israel Defense Forces body which charts the communication, wireless transmission, computerization, command and control over and defense of military and intelligence information in the IDF. The Directorate was created on March 3, 2003, on the basis of some functions previously held by the C4I Corps. The Directorate is also responsible for Cyber Defense in the IDF, a fact which has led to the name of the Directorate being changed to "Computer and IT Directorate" in May 2017.
The Israeli Operations Directorate is a branch in the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, established in 1999, alongside the regional commands, the air force and navy. Since June 2021, it is headed by Aluf Oded Basyuk.
Aluf Ehud "Udi" Adam is a former general in the Israel Defense Forces and the former head of the Israeli Northern Command.
Gadi Eisenkot, also spelt Eizenkot, is an Israeli general and politician from the Israeli National Unity party. He served as the 21st Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019 and as of 2023, serves as a minister without portfolio in Israel's government. Eisenkot, who grew up in Eilat, pursued maritime studies and later served in the IDF's Golani Brigade. He holds a B.A. in History from Tel Aviv University and a post-graduate degree in Political Science from Haifa University. Married with five children, he resides in Herzliya. One of his sons, Gal was killed in action during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit is the unit in the IDF Operations Directorate, responsible for information policy and media relations. The unit is led by the IDF Spokesperson, a brigadier general and member of the General Staff, and by the Deputy Spokesperson, a colonel. The current Spokesperson is Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari.
Aluf Dan Harel is a retired general in the Israel Defense Forces and a former Deputy Chief of the General Staff. Harel served as the Director General of the Ministry of Defense from 2013 to 2016.
Orna Barbivai is the former Minister of Economy, a retired major general in the Israel Defense Forces, and the former head of its Manpower Directorate. She was the first woman to be made Major-general (Aluf), the IDF's second highest rank. On 1 January 2019, she announced that she would enter politics and seek a Knesset seat on the list of Yesh Atid, which she won as part of the Blue and White slate. Her place in the Knesset was taken by Yasmin Fridman.
Herzl "Herzi" Halevi is the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on 16 January 2023.
The Dado Center for Interdisciplinary Military Studies is a military studies department of the Israel Defense Forces aimed at operational level of war activities.
Amir Baram is an Israel Defense Forces major general (Aluf) who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of General Staff.
Eliezer Toledano is an Israeli Aluf who served as the commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, the Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, the commander of the Gaza Division and of the Southern Command. Currently, he heads the Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.
The Israeli Ground Forces are the ground forces of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The commander is the General Officer Commanding with the rank of Major General, the Mazi, subordinate to the Chief of General Staff.
Eran Ortal is an Israeli brigadier-general (Res) and military theorist, served as the commander of The Dado Center for Interdisciplinary Military Studies. Ortal is also the founder and editor of the Israel Defense Force Dado Center journal named "Bein Ha-ktavim".
Yacov Bengo is a retired Israeli General who served as the head of the IDF's planning directorate (J8), the commander of the northern core, and held key positions including head of the Doctrine and Training Division (J7), commander of the 36th division, and commander of the 7th brigade within the Israel Defense Forces. His primary focus was in the Armored Corps and the General Staff." Israel Defense Forces. As of August 1, 2023, Bengo is in the private sector.
The Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate is a Directorate in the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, formed in 2020 as part of the then-Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi five-year development plan.
