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 Eyal Zamir.
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.
Solomon and Cook are being honored in recognition of their ongoing commitment to the land and people of Israel, and in particularly their support of the country’s northern region.
On Tuesday, Hamas did not launch rockets at Israel. In fact, despite the overnight airstrikes, there did not seem to be a sense of a new operation truly looming.
The terror organization stated that increasing military pressure would leave the remaining hostages "to an unknown fate."
The air force struck around 80 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in approximately 10 minutes from 2:10-2:20 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
The remarks came as the IDF initiated Operation Strength and Sword in the early hours of Tuesday, which saw widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip, ending the ceasefire.
Sa'ar's comments came as he spoke at a meeting hosted by AIPAC's Board of Directors in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening.
"This incident occurred about a month and a half ago when a document fell from my hands. It was quickly found and returned to the military without causing any damage," he noted.
Israel’s shekel fell up to 0.5%, and stocks dropped 1.2% as renewed Gaza strikes ended a fragile ceasefire, raising economic and humanitarian concerns.
Israel's defense minister has been aggressively moving on returning the hostages.
"Israel allowed Qatar to transfer 978 fuel tankers into Gaza, containing tens of millions of liters worth over NIS 1 billion to Hamas," he noted.
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