Israel’s military will soon finalize a new General Staff organizational structure dedicated to robotics, drones and artificial intelligence, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 53rd class of the National Security College, Zamir stated that the military intends to dictate the future of the changing battlefield rather than simply adapting to it.
“I have set a goal for the IDF to be a global leader in unmanned systems in both defense and offense,” said Zamir. He noted that the technological pivot is heavily driven by lessons learned from the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and the ensuing 1,000 days of war, which he said serve as the military’s “operational compass.”
Zamir also warned that Israel must significantly expand its military ranks to meet ongoing security challenges, noting that the military is currently hovering at its minimum necessary size relative to regional threats.
“We must significantly expand the ranks of the IDF so that it can meet all the tasks assigned to it,” Zamir stated. Stressing that the responsibility falls on the entire public, he added that defending the country is an operational need as well as a “Zionist and moral duty” that no one should be exempt from.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged the pursuit of diplomatic arrangements to secure Israel’s future alongside its battlefield achievements.
The president stated that Israel is at a “geopolitical crossroads” that will shape its security doctrine for years to come. He expressed hope for fortifying a coalition of moderate nations against the region’s “axis of evil,” pointing to the need for eventual diplomatic agreements regarding Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip to cement Israel’s long-term security.
Forty-three graduates completed the class of Israel’s National Security College.
Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) head David Zini, Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy and Israel’s National Fire and Rescue Commissioner Eyal Caspi also attended.
The graduates, drawn from across the IDF, security agencies and government ministries, are slated for senior command and management roles. The college, Israel’s primary institution for training top national security leadership, offers a roughly 10-month program that includes a master’s degree in political science from the University of Haifa.
