The Israelis failed to capture either town, but succeeded on 24 October in cutting off the supply lines of the Egyptian Third Army to the south after breaking for a few hours a United Nations ceasefire resolution. [13] Egyptian and Syrian casualties are estimated at around 15,000 and about 30,000 were wounded. [3] Lehi and Irgun came under central control in the following months. It was a long and bitter war that ended after three years due to Israeli air superiority. Four years later, the UN passed resolution 1559 calling for disarming Hezbollah. After several days of Israeli attacks Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared an "open war" with Israel. Although the commission praised Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir on her leadership during the war, she resigned following the war and was replaced by Yitzhak Rabin. After the abduction of an Israeli soldier by Hamas on 25 June, the IDF began an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip to get back their kidnapped soldier, and end the fire of rockets onto Israeli territory. A national health insurance program assures hospitalization coverage and basic medical care for all. Israel Defense Forces Tzvah Haganah L'Yisrael Israel's ground, air, and naval forces, known as the Israel Defense Force (IDF), fall under the command of a single general staff. Subsequent Israeli counterattacks launched by reserve forces arriving to the front were disastrous, and the Israelis were forced to withdraw to a new defensive line. The PLO focused mainly on hijacking airlines and kidnapping and its terrorists hijacked several commercial airline flights. Its activities are subject to the authority of the democratic civil government of Israel and its laws. The IDF later captured the Golan Heights from the Syrians and the West Bank from Jordan. Youth battalions conduct premilitary training for young people both in and out of school. Israel targets Syrian armed forces after ‘munitions fired towards border’ Helicopter attacks further escalate tensions in region following deadly strike on Hezbollah fighter in Damascus Some of them Holocaust survivors and others veterans from World War II. However, the IDF managed to sustain low casualties. David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948. Because of waves of terrorist attacks (most notable is the road massacre of 37 civilians) coming from the PLO in Lebanon, the IDF undertook Operation Litani, a wide-ranging and thorough anti-terrorist operation that included occupying part of Southern Lebanon in 1978. [11] In 1967, Egypt expelled UN peacekeepers, stationed in the Sinai Peninsula since 1957, and announced a partial blockade of Israel's access to the Red Sea. Despite several further ordinances the actual role and responsibilities of the Minister of Defense were not defined. Following the 1947 UN Partition Plan, which divided the British Mandate of Palestine, the country became increasingly volatile and fell into a state of civil war between the Jews and Arabs after the Arab residents rejected any plan that would allow for the creation of a Jewish state. Invading Arab armies boasted 270 tanks, 150 field guns and 300 aircraft. Britain, France and Israel withdrew from Sinai under international pressure, particularly by the United States. 8,300 Egyptian soldiers and 400 Syrian soldiers were captured. Nor was there any legal definition of the Cabinet's civil authority over the army.[4]. After the Six-Day War was over, IDF outposts on the Suez Canal were shelled by the Egyptian army. Israel (IL) Capital: Tehran: Jerusalem (internationally unrecognized) Population: 78 192 200: 8 238 300: Area: 1 648 195 km 2: 20 770 km 2: More: Iran military forces description: Israel military forces … Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Notable achievements of the IDF include the conquest of Eilat (Um Rashrash), Nazareth, and the capture of the Galilee and the Negev. The Singapore Armed Forces acquired the Israeli mortar. A manned 9 or 11 m patrol boat needs a crew of around 6 men to operate sensors, navigate and man the weapons systems. The history of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intertwines in its early stages with history of the Haganah. Mandatory military service. Later on 12 July Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the captures an "act of war" warranting a "severe and harsh response" and threatened to "turn Lebanon's clock back 20 years." Israel ranked first for armed forces personnel per 1000 amongst Former British colonies in 2000. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is generally regarded by military experts as one of the finest armed forces in the world. The rocket attacks by Hezbollah continued unabated for the next two years, and it was these attacks coupled with the incursion of Hezbollah militants into Northern Israel to kill and kidnap IDF soldiers that led to the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The American M16 assault rifle entered service along with the Galil assault rifle – an Israeli variant of the Soviet AK-47. Although Syria eventually withdrew from Lebanon, it maintained its influence via Hezbollah who continued to attack Northern Israel long after the withdrawal had been certified by UNIFL. Following the French embargo and the U.S. air-lift of supplies, weapons and ammunition, the IDF started to base itself upon American and Israeli made weapons and technologies. Since its founding, the IDF has been specifically designed to match Israel… Israel's alleged pre-emptive strike in the Six Day War resulted in a French embargo banning all weapon sales to Israel. The Israeli armed forces has denied reports of aircraft losses in Syria. A major purchaser and user of U.S. military equipment, Israel is also involved in the joint development of military technology and regularly engages in joint military exercises involving United States and other forces. The military of the State of Israel. The evolution from several underground militias to a state army is not simple. RELATED: Women’s Rights Soar in the Israeli Air Force In six days Israel had defeated three Arab armies – Egypt, Jordan and Syria. One surprising reason? The language of instruction at Israeli universities is Hebrew, while the teaching system represents a mixture of European and American methods. Israel ranks among the most successful countries in the world in terms of the proportion of its GNP spent on health care and its rates of life expectancy and infant mortality. By 1966, Israeli-Arab relations had deteriorated to the point of actual battles taking place between Israeli and Arab forces. After the first truce 11 June to 8 July, the Israelis managed to seize the initiative due to new troop enrollments and supplies of arms. In those years the IDF started to rebuild itself as a modern army. The nation of Israel is the world’s first Jewish state in two millennia. All of the Sinai peninsula was captured. It led to the escalation of hostilities over the Israeli-Egyptian border and eventually contributed to the 1956 Suez War. Although the Israelis did succeed in driving the PLO from Beirut and out of Lebanon, they had to remain within southern Lebanon for the next 18 years to secure a buffer zone between other terrorist groups supported by Syria operating in Lebanon and Israel. Consequently, civilian-military relations are based firmly on the subordination of the army to civilian control. Training is a crucial element of Israeli military success, and the IDF administers an extensive network of military schools and colleges for the training of its enlisted personnel and officers. Benny Morris, Righteous Victims, Alfred A. Knopf, 1999, p. 219. In the 1990s a number of regional community colleges were established, and several foreign universities began offering specialized professional degrees in fields such as law, business, and education. The attacks came two weeks after the beginning of the Gaza-focused Operation Summer Rains. The period of active-duty conscription is three years for men and two for women; this is followed by a decades-long period of compulsory reserve duty (to age 50 for women and age 55 for men). Political and social repercussions of the war, The Declaration of Principles and Cairo Agreement. On 7 June Israeli troops (the Harel unit; Yerushalmi unit; and elite paratroopers accompanied by tanks) captured the Old City of Jerusalem The conquest of the Western Wall and Temple Mount was considered as the highlights of the war and a dramatic and emotional peak by the Israeli people. The peak of France's assistance was the construction of the Negev Nuclear Research Center near Dimona in 1960. The Israeli government also assigns the IDF to provide educational services for recent immigrants whenever the need arises. The operation, officially called Operation Johnathan but widely referred to as Operation Entebbe, is regarded by military experts as one of the brightest and most successful covert operations ever conducted. Egypt came from the south, Lebanon and Syria from the north, and Jordan from the east backed by Iraqi and Saudi troops, in what Azzam Pasha, Arab League Secretary speaking on Cairo radio, declared would be "a war of extermination and a momentous massacre." Military relations between Israel and the United States have been consistently close, reflecting shared security interests in the Middle East. Following the declaration of independence in 1948, Arab armies invaded Israel. In 1977 the first F-15 Eagle American warplanes arrived in Israel and only a year later, they logged their first kill in the world when IAF F-15s shot down Syrian MiG (Mikoyan-Gurevich) fighters. This doctrine encompasses the IDF’s belief that Israel cannot afford to lose a single war, a goal that it feels can be attained only through a defensive strategy that includes a peerless intelligence community and early warning systems and a well-trained, rapidly mobilized reserve component combined with a strategic capability that consists of a small, highly trained, active-duty force that is able to take the war to the enemy, quickly attain military objectives, and rapidly reduce hostile forces. It first saw active service in Lebanon and proved to be a great success. Many in the Haganah felt it was their High Command's natural role to become the leadership of the new army. On 14 October, the Israelis repelled a renewed Egyptian attack, and the following day launched their counteroffensive. It has a slightly compacted rank structure; for instance, the Chief of the General Staff is seemingly only equivalent to a lieutenant general (NATO OF-8) in other militaries. In the Sinai Peninsula, Israeli armor was unable to prevent or push back Egyptian infantry crossing the Suez Canal. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel. Following the successful campaign in Sinai, the IDF used this relatively quiet decade to arm on a great scale and increase military professionalism. Israel Defense Forces (IDF), armed forces of Israel, comprising the Israeli army, navy, and air force. In addition, soldiers require breaks, food and water. The price of the war was heavy. Israel . The peace agreement, still valid today, closed the bitter southern front and let the IDF focus on the raging northern border. 17,8 billion $ ... (Israel Defense Forces (IDF) - צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל) , Army Headquarters, Israel Naval Force (IN), Israel Air Force (IAF). The IDF was based on the personnel who had served in the Haganah and the Palmach and was declared as the only legal armed force in Israel. The Protector Unmanned Surface Vehicle is a unique piece of equipment which allows its operator to do more with less. The two Arab countries reluctantly joined the war, Jordan by shelling the Israeli part of Jerusalem and Syria by entering Israel from the Golan Heights. In the Golan Heights, small groups of tank commanders such as Avigdor Kahalani managed to hold back dozens of Syrian tanks. The Israeli government suspected that the Iraqis would use the nuclear reactor to build atomic weapons (WMD). The First Law of the Provisional State Council, Paragraph 18, of the Order of Government and Legal Arrangement stated that "the Provisional Government is empowered to set up armed forces on land, sea and air, which will be authorised to carry out all necessary and legal actions for the defence of the country. In those years the IAF received a new generation of warplanes. The Egyptians persuaded Syria and Jordan to join the war by lying to them and reporting on "amazing victories" at Sinai. Israel ranked first for weapon holdings per 1000 globally in 2001. The chief of staff of the IDF, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, is appointed by the government based on the recommendation of the minister of defense, who selects the appointee from ranking IDF officers. 18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) military service; 17 years of age for voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; pilots commit to 9 years service; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women). About 15,000 Egyptian soldiers were killed, 4482 fell into captivity and 80% of the Egyptian tanks were destroyed. In those years the IDF invested most of its efforts in countering international terror, such as the Munich Massacre, committed by the PLO following its deportion from Jordan to Lebanon in the "Black September" of 1970. As agreed, within a couple of days, Britain and France invaded too and recaptured the canal. After international negotiations in 1974, the attacks stopped. There were also frictions and battles with Syrian forces on the northern border. By noon, the Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian air forces, with about 450 aircraft, were annihilated. The increasing use of robots by the Israel Defense Forces is part of a larger strategy to minimize risk to soldiers when possible. The tank was fully developed and manufactured by Israel and exceeded the enemies' tanks in every parameter. The IDF reprisal strikes on the Egyptians and Syrians inflicted heavy casualties. Israel . Israel has a strong claim as the global pioneer in the development, integration and use of UAVs of a wide variety of classes into its armed forces. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs supervises the service bureaus that deal with family, youth, and community welfare, as well as with rehabilitation of the handicapped. Several health maintenance organizations are open to all Israelis, the largest of which, Kupat Holim—with its own physicians, clinics, and hospital—is run by the Histadrut labour union and is recognized worldwide as an exemplary health care organization. This led to a series of confrontations with leaders of the Palmach known as The General's Revolt. Israeli sources later justified their assault on the infrastructure claiming the roads and airports are used to transport the missiles launched from southern Lebanon toward Israeli civilian population centers. For treatment of earlier history and of the country in its regional context, see Palestine, history of. Special Units:Unit 669Yamam Shayetet 13 Reacon Group 401 BrigadeLOTAROketzLike, Subscribe & Share In 1981 the Israeli Air Force destroyed Iraq's Osiraq nuclear reactor. [12] Israel saw these actions as a casus belli. Muslim and Christian Arabs may volunteer, although, because of security concerns, the air force and intelligence corps remain largely closed to minorities. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. The school syllabus is supplemented by radio and television educational programming in both Hebrew and Arabic. Israel is the first nation to develop and deploy an armed unmanned boat for surveillance and protection duties. "[citation needed] The sensitivity of this issue is indicated by the delay of two weeks before, on 26 May 1948, David Ben-Gurion, for the Provisional Government, published the Israel Defense Forces Ordinance Number 4. From 1954 and 1955 Egypt established a special force unit known as the Fedayeen. Until 1974, the IDF was countering Syrian and Egyptian attacks meant to weaken IDF posts on the border and force the Israeli government to withdraw. In those years the IMI Uzi SMG and the FN FAL rifle were issued as standard infantry weapons. Israel. "The Israelis emphasized military skills and high motivation. The main suppliers of weapons was France, which provided Israel rifles, tanks and jet fighters, including the Dassault Mirage III. Israel ranked first for weapon holdings amongst Middle Eastern and North Africa in 2001. Most of these bureaus operate within local or regional government. There are many private, voluntary organizations dealing with first aid, children’s health, and care for the aged and handicapped. On 7 June, four F-16 fighters, covered by F-15 jets, flew 1,100 km to Iraq from Israel, and bombed the nuclear reactor, thus, thwarting the Iraqi nuclear program and severely holding back the Iraqi plans for getting a nuclear bomb. Schooling is obligatory and free for children between the ages of 5 and 15 and free, but not compulsory, for those 16 and 17. Unit 101 is regarded as the mother of the IDF's strike force units. The purpose of the IDF is to preserve the State of Israel, to protect its independence, and to foil attempts by its enemies to disrupt normal life within it. Most of the fortified Bar Lev Line was captured within the first two days of the war. The Chief of Staff, David Elazar ("Dado") resigned after harsh criticism by the commission. 8 238 300. Since its creation, its guiding principles have been shaped by the country’s need to defend 18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) military service; 17 years of age for voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; pilots commit to 9 years service; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women). The Israel Defense Forces are ranked 34th with an active personnel of 176,500 an a reserve of 445,000 troops. The IDF was established on May 31, 1948, just two weeks after Israel’s declaration of independence. But the IDF had achieved numerous goals; the borders dramatically tranquilized, Nasser promised to disband the Fedayeen, the Straits of Tiran were once again opened to Israeli ships and maybe most important of all, Israel had illustrated its military strength. The Israeli B-17s originally flew without any defensive armament On the day prior to the expiration of the British Mandate over Plestine on 15 May 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the independence of the new State of Israel and within hours, Arab forces from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon invaded, starting the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, or the War of Independence in Israel. The troops inflicted heavy casualties on the Israeli army. In addition, a special force, the Nahal, combines military and agricultural training and is also responsible for establishing new defense settlements along Israel’s borders. In the following days, hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah increased to a point of both parties exchanging tough rhetoric and escalating into deadly military campaigns. Since 1948 (and even before) Israel has committed the best of its human capital to the armed forces. Israel has recognized the Druze as a separate Arab community since 1957, and Israeli Druze serve in the armed forces. A strategic decision was made then to make an Israeli battle tank, an Israeli fighter jet, and an Israeli warship – for example: the Kfir fighter jet and the Merkava tank. Israel overcame the embargo by finding other suppliers (such as the United States) and developing and making its own weapons. IDF doctrine has been shaped since Israel’s founding by the country’s need to stave off attack from the numerically superior and geographically advantaged forces of its hostile Arab neighbours. If you studied economics in college, you probably already know that Israel’s economy has grown faster than other developed countries’ since 1995. 163,073 talking about this. Membership in the country’s social-insurance plan is compulsory. In accordance with Plan Dalet the Haganah tried to secure the areas allotted to the Jewish state in the partition plan and the blocks of settlements that were in the area allotted to the Arab state. The Israelis managed to successfully defend themselves in virtually all battlefields with the notable exception of East Jerusalem. Barker, The Arab Israeli Wars, Hippocrene Books, 1981. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFSegev2007 (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of modern conflicts in the Middle East, List of the Israel Defense Forces operations, "The Jewish Virtual Library, The Sinai-Suez Campaign: Background & Overview", Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_Israel_Defense_Forces&oldid=1009178113, Articles needing additional references from July 2010, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2013, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Meir Pail, commander of the IDF officers' college, and military historian, Aluf (Major General) "Musa" Moshe Peled, armor general, Aluf Itzhak Mordechai, senior paratroop commander, former defense minister, This page was last edited on 27 February 2021, at 04:18. Meanwhile, the IDF ground forces quickly overran the Egyptian army in Sinai and were about to reach Alexandria. David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948. On the morning of 5 June 1967, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) launched a massive airstrike that destroyed the majority of the Egyptian air force on the ground. On 16 October the Israelis crossed the Suez Canal[citation needed] and attempted to capture the towns of Ismailia and Suez and to cut off Egyptian supply lines. By 10 October, the IDF recaptured the entire Golan Heights and on 11 October Israeli armored forces invaded Syria and destroyed the Iraqi reinforcements. Other Israeli aims were elimination of the Fedayeen incursions into Israel that made life unbearable for its southern population, and opening the blockaded Straits of Tiran for Israeli ships. The IDF was based on the personnel who had served in the Haganah and the Palmach and was declared as the only legal armed force in Israel. Population. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; Hebrew: צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל‎ About this sound Tsva ha-Hagana le-Yisra'el, lit. The successful war elevated the reputation of the IDF and contributed highly to the morale of the soldiers. IDF doctrine has been shaped since Israel’s founding by the country’s need to stave off attack from the numerically superior and geographically advantaged forces of its hostile Arab neighbours. Academic freedom in the universities is protected by Israeli law. Though Israeli Druze maintain contact with coreligionists in Lebanon and Syria, members of each group adhere to the authority of the country of their residence. Military service is compulsory for Jews, both men and women, and for Druze and Circassian men. Israel ranked first for war deaths amongst High income OECD countries in 2008. His priority was the dissolution of military organisations affiliated to political parties. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is generally regarded by military experts as one of the finest armed forces in the world. [2] Due to a number of reasons, the Arabs never managed to exploit their superiority in numbers. On 22 October, the Golani infantry brigade captured Mount Hermon (an important strategic outpost). The war opened on 6 October 1973 on Yom Kippur, the holiest Jewish holiday. By then the IDF had managed to repel the Egyptians to the Gaza Strip while Jordan took over the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The program provides welfare, child care and family allowances, income maintenance, disability insurance, old-age pensions, and long-term care for the elderly. In Israel, the war caused a public outrage, forcing the government to appoint an investigation commission. The Israel Defense Forces differs from most armed forces in the world in many ways. After committing the notorious Qibya Massacre in 1953 it was merged with the Paratroopers Battalions and Sharon became its commander. This strike was code-named Operation Focus, Mivtza Moked. Israel Military Strength (2021) For 2021, Israel is ranked 20 of 139 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review . The reunification of east and west Jerusalem as one city under Jewish control were celebrated widely in Israel. This time, Jordan stayed out and wasn't involved in the war. [5][6][7][8][9][10] Israeli armour, equipped with tanks, such as M4 Sherman and AMX-13 quickly defeated the Egyptian forces and took control over the Sinai within a few days. The Six-Day War had great consequences for the state of Israel and the IDF. Egypt and Syria attempted to regain the territory Israel had acquired in its defensive war in 1967, known as the Six-Day War. After three weeks of fighting, though, and with U.S. air-lifted reinforcements of weapons and equipment (first shipment arrived on 9 October 1973), the IDF pushed the Syrian forces beyond the original lines. Israel Military Products offers the best, finest and widest selection of army surplus. Military service. The Ministry of Health maintains its own public and preventive health services, including hospitals and clinics, and it supervises the institutions of nongovernmental organizations. Israel (IL) Capital: Washington: Jerusalem (internationally unrecognized) Population: 324 527 000: 8 238 300: Area: 9 857 306 km 2: 20 770 km 2: More: USA military forces description: Israel military forces … 338 Israeli were killed in Sinai and of Israel's losses there were about 63 tanks. In order to enhance the morale and organization of the army and to combat the resurgent problem with Palestinian infiltration, Unit 101 was formed. The failure of the Lebanese government to do so has led to the strengthening of Hezbollah's militants and to the building of an immense arsenal of 13,000 rockets all aimed at civilian centers within Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a military offensive into Lebanon. On 22 July Israeli troops in large numbers moved into Lebanon to demolish Hezbollah outposts, and diminish Hezbollah missile capabilities. It acquired heavier weapons and established an armored corps and the Israeli Air Force. It was led by Ariel Sharon, and carried out a number of retaliatory strikes on Jordanian territory to deter the infiltrators. In 1979 the first Israeli-made Merkava Mk1 main battle tank entered service. Smartness on parade and military tattoo, the SAF [Singapore Armed Forces] never learned from the `Mexicans.' The war continued until 20 July 1949, when the armistice with Syria was signed. An integrated organization encompassing sea, air, and land forces, the IDF consists of a small corps of career officers, active-duty conscripts, and reservists. The military equipment of Israel includes a wide array of arms, armored … Israel - Israel - History: This discussion focuses primarily on the modern state of Israel. In 1987 a revolt erupted in the Palestinian territories, leading to the Oslo Accords. Reservists perform roughly 20 to 50 days of military service and training per year, but in times of national emergency reserve duty can be extended indefinitely. Another main source of manpower were the immigrants from Europe. In 1979 the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was signed, when Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat agreed on peace in return for Israel returning the entire Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. The technology that binds all of these other systems together is the Israeli soldier. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Open University of Israel (formerly Everyman’s University) in Tel Aviv opened in 1974, and teachers’ training colleges include two for Arabs. It covered the establishment of the IDF, conscription duties, the oath of allegiance, and the prohibition of any other armed forces. The army was officially set up on 31 May. Israel Military Products is the best place to come for Israel Defense Forces (IDF) products: IDF T shirts, IDF sweatshirts, IDF hats, IDF shirts, IDF boots, IDF Israeli Army Surplus, Israel Defense Force emblems and much more. Parents may choose to send children to state secular schools, state religious schools, or private religious schools. 04:19 GMT 02.09.2016. IDF Special Operations took place within the borders of Lebanon. This involved renaming existing Haganah and Palmach Brigades and bringing them under one central command. About 300 Israeli soldiers were taken captive. In response, United Kingdom and France planned Operation Musketeer (1956) aiming at regaining Western control of the Suez Canal and removing the Egyptian president Nasser. The execution of the Ordinance was assigned to the Minister of Defence, David Ben-Gurion. Israel proceeded by destroying energy and transportation infrastructure throughout Lebanon, focusing on highway infrastructure initially claiming they were trying to prevent the kidnapped soldiers from being removed to Iran. It is positioned between the Spanish Armed Forces and Turkish Armed Forces, compared by number of active troops of NATO armies. Arms / Commands / Directorates / Attachés. It holds a PwrIndx* rating of 0.3464 (0.0000 considered 'perfect'). Eight Israeli soldiers were killed and two were captured. His first order was the formation of the IDF – The Israel Defense Forces. Its officers began to take their oaths of allegiance on 27 June. The Agranat Commission found serious flaws in the functioning of the intelligence forecasting branch, which failed to foresee the war and ignored various warnings.