Israel Defense Forces

Army for the Defense of Israel , ), commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal ( ), are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces , air force and navy . It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces , and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel. The IDF is headed by its Chief of General Staff , the Ramatkal , subordinate to the Defense Minister of Israel ; as of 2010 Rav Aluf Gabi Ashkenazi has served as Chief of Staff since 2007. An order of Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion on May 26, 1948 officially set up the Israel Defense Forces as a conscript army formed out of the paramilitary group Haganah , incorporating the militant groups Irgun and Lehi . The IDF served as Israel's armed forces in all the country's major military operations — including the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , the 1956 Sinai War , the 1967 Six-Day War , the War of Attrition , the 1973 Yom Kippur War , Operation Litani , the 1982 Lebanon War , Operation Defensive Wall , the 2006 Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead . While originally the IDF operated on three fronts—against Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—after the 1979 Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty , it has concentrated its activities in southern Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories , including the First and the Second Intifada . The Israel Defense Forces differs from most armed forces in the world in many ways, including the conscription of women, and the structure, with close relations between the ground forces, air force and navy. Since its founding, the IDF has striven to become a unique army fitting Israel's specific requirements. The IDF have an influential main role in politics, economy and culture of the Israeli society, being the most respected and developed institution of the state. In 1965, the Israel Defense Forces was awarded the Israel Prize for its contribution to education. The IDF uses several technologies developed in Israel, many of them made specifically to match the IDF's needs, such as the Merkava main battle tank, advanced Hi-Tech weapons systems, and the Galil and Tavor assault rifles. The Uzi submachine gun was invented in Israel and used by the IDF until December 2003, ending a service that began in 1954. Since around 1967, the IDF has had close military relations with the United States , including development cooperation, such as on the F-15I jet, THEL laser defense system, and the Arrow missile defense system. "British MPs slam weapons exports to Israel" . ynetnews . 30 March 2010.

"The Army of Defense for Israel ", commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal ( ), are the military forces of the State of Israel . They consist of the ground forces , air force , and navy . The IDF is headed by its Chief of General Staff , the Ramatkal , subordinate to the Defense Minister of Israel ; Lieutenant general ( Rav Aluf ) Gadi Eizenkot has served as Chief of Staff since 2015. An order from Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion on 26 May 1948 officially set up the Israel Defense Forces as a conscript army formed out of the paramilitary group Haganah , incorporating the militant groups Irgun and Lehi . The number of wars and border conflicts in which the IDF has been involved in its short history makes it one of the most battle-trained armed forces in the world. While originally the IDF operated on three fronts—against Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—after the 1979 Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty , it has concentrated its activities in southern Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories , including the First and the Second Intifada . The Israel Defense Forces differs from most armed forces in the world in many ways. Differences include the mandatory conscription of women and its structure, which emphasizes close relations between the army, navy, and air force. Since its founding, the IDF has been specifically designed to match Israel's unique security situation. The IDF is one of Israeli society's most prominent institutions, influencing the country's economy, culture and political scene. In 1965, the Israel Defense Forces was awarded the Israel Prize for its contribution to education. The IDF uses several technologies developed in Israel, many of them made specifically to match the IDF's needs, such as the Merkava main battle tank , Achzarit armoured personnel carrier , high tech weapons systems, the Iron Dome missile defense system, Trophy active protection system for vehicles, and the Galil and Tavor assault rifles. The Uzi submachine gun was invented in Israel and used by the IDF until December 2003, ending a service that began in 1954. Following 1967, the IDF has close military relations with the United States , including development cooperation, such as on the F-15I jet, THEL laser defense system, and the Arrow missile defense system.

Military forces of Israel The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ; Tsva ha-Hagana le-Yisra'el , lit. "The Army of Defense for Israel"; ), commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal ( ), are the military forces of the State of Israel . They consist of the ground forces , air force , and navy . It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces , and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel. The IDF is headed by its Chief of General Staff , the Ramatkal , subordinate to the Defense Minister of Israel ; Lieutenant General ( Rav Aluf ) Aviv Kochavi has served as Chief of Staff since January 15, 2019. An order from Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion on 26 May 1948 officially set up the Israel Defense Forces as a conscript army formed out of the paramilitary group Haganah , incorporating the militant groups Irgun and Lehi . While originally the IDF operated on three fronts—against Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—after the 1979 Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty , it has concentrated its activities in southern Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories , including the First and the Second Intifada . The Israel Defense Forces is unique in its inclusion of mandatory conscription of women and its structure, which emphasizes close relations between the army, navy, and air force. Since its founding, the IDF has been specifically designed to match Israel's unique security situation. The IDF is one of Israeli society's most prominent institutions, influencing the country's economy, culture and political scene. In 1965, the Israel Defense Forces was awarded the Israel Prize for its contribution to education. The IDF uses several technologies developed in Israel, many of them made specifically to match the IDF's needs, such as the Merkava main battle tank , Achzarit armoured personnel carrier , high tech weapons systems, the Iron Dome missile defense system, Trophy active protection system for vehicles, and the Galil and Tavor assault rifles. The Uzi submachine gun was invented in Israel and used by the IDF until December 2003, ending a service that began in 1954. Since 1967, the IDF has had close military relations with the United States , including development cooperation, such as on the F-15I jet, THEL laser defense system, and the Arrow missile defense system. The Israel Defense Forces are believed to have had an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967 , possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear weapons, with delivery systems forming a nuclear triad , of plane launched-missiles, Jericho III intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine launched cruise missiles . The Military Balance 2019 . The Early Years of the State , By Laurence Jay Silberstein, (NYU Press 1991), 232 France & Iraq: Oil, Arms And French Policy Making in the Middle East , I. There are a wide range of estimates as to the size of the Israeli nuclear arsenal.

Combined military forces of Israel The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ; Tsva ha-Hagana le-Yisra'el , lit. ' The Army of Defense for Israel ' ), 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 . On the orders of David Ben-Gurion , the IDF was formed on 26 May 1948 and began to operate as a conscript military , drawing its initial recruits from the already-existing paramilitaries of the Yishuv —namely Haganah , the Irgun , and Lehi . Since its formation shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence , the IDF has participated in every armed conflict involving Israel . While it originally operated on three major fronts—against Lebanon and Syria in the north, against Jordan and Iraq in the east, and against Egypt in the south—the IDF has primarily shifted its focus to southern Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories since the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty and 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty . However, notable Israeli–Syrian border incidents have occurred frequently since 2011 due to regional instability caused by the ongoing multi-sided Syrian Civil War . The IDF is unique among the militaries of the world due to its regulated conscription of women since its formation . It is one of the most prominent institutions in Israeli society due to its influence on the country's economy and political scene. It uses several technologies developed within Israel, with many of them made specifically to cater to its needs in its operational environment in the Levant . Prominent Israeli-developed military equipment includes: the Merkava , a main battle tank ; the Achzarit and Namer - armored personnel carriers ; Iron Dome , an air defense system ; Trophy , an active protection system ; IDF Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer ; Spike anti-tank guided missile family; MATADOR shoulder-launched rocket; the IMI Galil and IWI Tavor families of assault rifles ; and the Uzi , a family of submachine guns . Since 1967, the IDF has had a close security relationship with the United States , including in research and development cooperation, with joint efforts on the F-15I , the Tactical High-Energy Laser , and the Arrow , among others. The IDF is believed to have maintained an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967 , possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads ; its nuclear-delivery system structure is widely suspected of having been successfully developed into a nuclear triad , primarily consisting of Jericho land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles , Popeye Turbo maritime-based submarine-launched cruise missiles , and various delivery-capable aircraft . The Military Balance 2021 . Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The IDF's three service branches (ground forces, air force, and navy) function under a unified command, headed by the Chief of the General Staff, with the rank of lieutenant-general, who is responsible to the minister of defense. There are a wide range of estimates as to the size of the Israeli nuclear arsenal.

Combined military forces of Israel "IDF" redirects here. The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ; Hebrew : צְבָא הֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל Tsva Hagana le-Yisra'el , lit. ' Army for the Defense of Israel ' ), 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 defense minister . On the orders of first prime minister David Ben-Gurion , the IDF was formed on 26 May 1948 and began to operate as a conscript military , drawing its initial recruits from the already-existing paramilitaries of the Yishuv —namely Haganah , the Irgun , and Lehi . It was formed shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence and has participated in every armed conflict involving Israel . In the wake of the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty and the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty , the IDF underwent a significant strategic realignment. Previously spread across various fronts— Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—the IDF redirected its focus towards southern Lebanon and the Palestinian territories . In 2000, the IDF withdrew from Southern Lebanon and in 2005 from Gaza . Conflict between Israel and Islamist groups based in Gaza, notably Hamas , has continued since then. Moreover, notable Israeli–Syrian border incidents have occurred frequently since 2011, due to regional instability caused by the Syrian civil war . Since 1967, the IDF has maintained a close security relationship with the United States , including in research and development cooperation, with joint efforts on the F-15I and the Arrow defence system, among others. The IDF is believed to have maintained an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967 , possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads . The IDF's actions and policies in the Palestinian territories have faced widespread criticism, with accusations of repression , institutionalized discrimination , unlawful killings and systematic abuses of Palestinian rights , with multiple human rights organizations and scholars accusing the IDF of genocide . The Military Balance 2023 . Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The IDF's three service branches (ground forces, air force, and navy) function under a unified command, headed by the Chief of the General Staff, with the rank of lieutenant-general, who is responsible to the minister of defence. There is a wide range of estimates as to the size of the Israeli nuclear arsenal. United States Department of State . "Israel's apartheid against Palestinians: a cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity" .