The IDF, or, Israel Defense Forces, is the national military force of the State of Israel and consists of the Israeli Ground Force, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy.
The IDF is headed by the Chief of Staff, who holds the rank of Lieutenant General and is the only active officer who does so. The current chief of staff is Herzi Halevi.
The IDF was formally established in May 1948 after the creation of the Jewish State, and it encompassed the three paramilitary groups that existed prior to the state - the Hagana, the Irgun, and the Stern Gang (Lehi).
Since the formation of the IDF, it has participated in six major wars including the War of Independence, the Six Day War, the Sinai War, the Yom Kippur War, and the first and second Lebanon Wars. Other operations include Operation Cast Lead, Operation Pillar of Defense, Operation Protective Edge, Operation Guardian of the Walls, and Operation Swords of Iron.
Conscription to the IDF is mandatory for both men and women over the age of 18, with women in non-combat positions serving for two years, and women in combat positions, and men, regardless of position, have a mandatory service of two years and eight months.
In addition to regular military duties and activities, the IDF responds to national emergencies or crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides personnel to carry out work alongside the civilian population.
Arazi has devoted much of her time to helping prospective converts learn about the conversion process, drawing from her own conversion experiences on social media.
"I have never seen a similar case of hundreds of bees attacking one person," said Dr. Avi Ironi, director of the Sheba Emergency Medical Center.
In the area of the Rafah crossing, on the Palestinian side, troops of the 401st Brigade killed terrorists in close-quarter combat and via aircraft strikes.
“My father was my entire world. It was through the support of OneFamily that I felt there was somebody to check on me,” says Shira Mark-Harif, whose father was killed in a terror attack.
The stakes are too high now for ambiguity. Israelis, on the eve of Independence Day, deserve a comprehensive plan that outlines the path to security, detailing how it can be achieved.
UNGA expected to upgrade Palestinian status • Mount Meron Lag Ba'Omer pilgrimage cancelled • Eden Golan advances to Eurovision Final • IDF advances in Rafah
The application, "Memory Paths," allows individuals to navigate to graves in military cemeteries, giving users information about the fallen buried there.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people head to Mount Meron to mark Lag Ba'Omer.
The IDF Widows and Orphans Organization has supported bereaved families for decades. After October 7, the work of the organization is more crucial than ever.
The report showed that of the 760 soldiers who lost their lives this year, 711 were killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
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