Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir officially took command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday, warning that the country’s multifront conflict will persist and vowing to strike its adversaries with overwhelming force. Zamir, 59, assumed the role of chief of staff during a formal ceremony at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, following government approval of his appointment on February 16.
He replaces Herzi Halevi, who resigned in January, taking responsibility for the failure to prevent the deadly Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. Zamir, previously the director general of the Defense Ministry, has an extensive military background, including leadership of the Southern Command and serving as deputy chief of staff.
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During the ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz placed Zamir’s new ranks on his shoulders. Netanyahu outlined Zamir’s primary mission as achieving “absolute victory” over Hamas. “We are in the midst of a prolonged campaign,” Netanyahu said. “As I promised, we have changed the face of the Middle East, and more is yet to come.”
Zamir takes office during a period of high tensions, with ongoing military operations in the West Bank, uncertainty over the fragile ceasefire with Hamas that began on January 19, and increasing hostilities with Iran. In his address, Zamir called Israel’s struggle a “war of existence,” declaring, “We will strike with tremendous force at anyone who seeks to harm the State of Israel and its citizens.” He also emphasized the need for military reinforcement and a larger defense budget.