The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), known by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal, is the national military of the State of Israel, an institution comprising the Israeli Ground Forces, Air Force, and Navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus. The IDF was officially founded on May 26, 1948, by order of the first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, shortly after Israel's Declaration of Independence. The primary problem it solved was the need for a unified, centralized military force to defend the newly established state, which was immediately attacked by neighboring Arab armies. The IDF was formed by integrating and disbanding pre-existing Jewish paramilitary groups like the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi.
The IDF operates under a unified command structure, with the Chief of the General Staff, a Lieutenant General, reporting directly to the Minister of Defense, who provides civilian oversight. Its mechanism relies heavily on a compulsory conscription system, requiring military service for most Jewish and Druze men and women, and Circassian men. Active-duty conscription is 32 months for men and 24 months for women, followed by a decades-long period of compulsory reserve duty, which forms the majority of its infantry strength. The IDF's strategic doctrine is defensive, aiming to deter enemies, but its tactics are often offensive, utilizing rapid mobilization and advanced technology to take the fight to the enemy due to Israel's limited territorial depth.
The IDF connects to the broader Israeli security establishment, including the civilian Ministry of Defense and the intelligence agencies Mossad (external operations) and Shin Bet (internal operations). A recent change involves the controversial conscription of ultra-Orthodox men, which began in 2024 after the long-standing exemption lost government support. Additionally, the Equality Amendment to the Military Service law in 2000 affirmed the equal right of women to serve in any role in the IDF if they qualify.