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.
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.
The Directorate is made to concentrate the activity of the IDF in relation to Israel's third circle enemies (those which it doesn't share a border), chief among them being Iran. As such the Directorate is also nicknamed The Iran Command. Heading the Directorate is a senior IDF officer in the rank of Aluf, equivalent to Major general. [1]
With the creation of the Directorate two Divisions, originally of the Planning Directorate, were subordinated to it: The Strategic Division - Responsible for short and long-term strategic planing, and the International Cooperation Division (ICD) - responsible for the IDF relations with foreign armed forces, peacekeeping forces and international organizations. Both divisions are headed by officers in the rank of Tat-Aluf (Brigadier general). [2] [3]
Along with these two divisions, the Directorate includes the Iran Headquarters, led by an officer in the rank of Aluf Mishne (Colonel), responsible for the concentration and coordination of all military efforts in the Iran–Israel proxy conflict. [4] [5]
Serving as Head of the Directorate since September 2023 is Aluf Eliezer Toledano.
The Israeli Navy is the naval warfare service arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea theater as well as the Gulf of Eilat and the Red Sea theater. The current commander in chief of the Israeli Navy is Aluf David Saar Salama. The Israeli Navy is believed to be responsible for maintaining Israel's offshore nuclear second strike capability.
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.
The Southern Command, often abbreviated to Padam (פד"מ), is a regional command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It is responsible for the Negev, the Arava, and Eilat. It is currently headed by Yaron Finkelman.
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 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.
The Planning Directorate was the central body in the Israel Defense Forces' General Staff whose focus was on strategic and tactical planning, the building of military forces, and military organization of the armed forces. It also served as a planning body for the Ministry of Defense, representing the IDF in various related fields to the Minister of Defense. It comprised the Planning Division, the Strategic Planning and tactical Relations Division, the Centre for Systems Analysis, and the Infrastructure and Organization Division.
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.
Major General (ret.) (Aluf) Daniel Rothschild is the head of The Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS), an Israeli Think Tank in the Lauder school of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC) and is the chairman of the annual Herzliya Conference series.
Aluf Dan Biton is a general in the Israel Defense Forces and the Head of the Technological and Logistics Directorate.
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.
Amir Baram is an Israel Defense Forces major general (Aluf) who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of General Staff.
Aharon Haliva is an Israeli Major general (Aluf) who currently commands the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate.
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.
Yoel Strick an Israeli Major General (Aluf) in the IDF reserves and formerly commanded the Ground Forces Command.
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.
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.
Daniel Hagari is an Israel Defense Forces Rear Admiral (Tat-Aluf) who currently serves as the head of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. Previously he has served as the commander of the Israeli Navy's operations directorate, the Chief of Staff's assistant, Commander of the Shayetet 13 marine commando unit and the office of the Chief of Staff.