An international seminar focused on lessons learned from Israel’s multi-front war concluded on Friday, with dozens of commanders and officers from several countries participating.
The seminar aimed to deepen participants’ familiarity with the IDF’s operational concepts, review lessons from two years of combat and examine multi-branch methods.
During the week, commanders toured significant locations, observed a broad capability demonstration, received briefings from senior officers who fought over the past two years and were exposed to the challenges of urban and underground warfare.
Representatives attended from Austria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Japan, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and the United States.
Participants also toured communities near the Gaza Strip and heard the testimony of freed hostage Shlomi Ziv.
“Over the past week, we have stood together before the challenges, dilemmas and lessons that emerge from the complex reality of continuous combat—combat that tested the IDF and all of us to the very limit of our capabilities,” said Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, commander of the IDF Ground Forces.
“The stories you heard, the encounters with the soldiers and commanders, and the professional depth that came through in every conversation are a living reminder of the spirit that drives us forward. The IDF does not rely solely on technology, capabilities and procedures. Our true strength lies in the human spirit—in determination, in commitment and in the uniquely Israeli ability to rise, to recover and to rebuild even from the deepest of fractures,” he added.
Lotan noted that during two years of war, the Ground Forces operated in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and against terrorism in Judea and Samaria.
“Our international partnership with the militaries gathered here this evening is part of the strength of the IDF. It enables us to share knowledge, improve and confront future challenges together. I believe that in the intersection between professionalism, values and hope lies the foundation of true strength,” he said.
According to the IDF, the purpose of the gathering was to “strengthen cooperation, enhance familiarity with diverse operational approaches, exchange professional knowledge and experience between the participating militaries.”
It went on to say that the IDF “continues to initiate and promote international cooperation with leading militaries worldwide as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen relationships, enhance collaboration and foster shared learning in the face of evolving security challenges.”
