Eyal Zamir, new IDF chief, publishes first official order

Victory and defeating the enemy is the mission of the IDF, new IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir wrote in his first official order to IDF soldiers following his swearing-in on Wednesday.

“Enemies near and far have sought to destroy us. They mistakenly believed that our spirit was weak and our ranks were fractured,” he wrote.

“The Israel Defense Forces did not fulfill its mission on October 7. We will not hide it, nor will we cover it up,” he added.

“The cries of our brothers and sisters, who fought for their lives, will forever remain a scar in our hearts,” the order stated

“From the depths, filled with courage—our people rose, our army stood up, you stood up and struck back. From here, our focus is set in one direction—victory and the defeat of the enemy! This is our mission, this is our purpose. Against our enemies who sought to destroy us, who slaughtered and raped, who burned and kidnapped—we will strike a decisive blow!” Zamir further wrote.

Eyal Zamir is promoted to the rank of Lt.-Gen. as he takes over as IDF chief, March 5, 2025 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

“We will not rest until our brothers return from the tunnels of captivity—this is our moral duty.”

Addressing IDF soldiers, the new chief of staff wrote, “I will set high expectations for you, but at the same time, I will stand resolutely behind each and every one of you and provide you with the tools to win. You have achieved tremendous accomplishments, yet many challenges still lie ahead. There will be difficult days, but better days await us as well. A remarkable nation, torn between tears and hope, looks to us.”

“Our actions will speak!”

Changeover ceremony

Zamir stepped in as chief of staff in a ceremony in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, replacing former IDF chief Herzi Halevi, who announced his resignation in January, citing the failures of October 7.

On his first day in the role, Zamir is set to visit the residents of the Gaza border area, Walla reported.

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