IDF chief at Oct. 7 lessons conference: ‘We must expand the IDF – the size of the military is our strategic depth’
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said at a conference presenting the lessons learned from Oct. 7 that one of the most significant lessons is the need to expand Israel’s security margins.
“The State of Israel is geographically small and lacks territorial depth, while facing threats on multiple fronts,” he said. “We need to build the IDF’s force structure to address all of the challenges and threats. The size of the IDF is our strategic depth; therefore, we must expand the IDF and adapt it to its growing missions.”
According to Zamir, the IDF’s strategy is being developed based on a reference scenario of readiness for a surprise war, including the preemption of severe threats as they emerge.
The conference, attended by commanders with the rank of brigadier general and above from across the IDF’s commands and branches, was held Sunday at the Glilot military base on the eve of the national memorial day for the events of Oct. 7. The investigations were summarized at the conference, and mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of lessons learned were presented.
“On Oct. 7, the IDF failed miserably, but the IDF got back on its feet,” Zamir said, adding that 2027 would be designated as a year for investigating the war as a whole.
