IDF Intelligence Officer Dismissed Over October 7 Failures

The head of the IDF's Manpower Directorate has ordered the immediate dismissal of Lieutenant Colonel A., an intelligence officer in the Gaza Division, for critical miscalculations preceding the October 7th Hamas attack. The officer's identity remains under a publication ban, despite a previous administrative court ruling allowing its disclosure, which the officer successfully challenged by citing his role in military intelligence. The dismissal process was initiated following a November 23, 2025, directive from the Chief of Staff, which established command responsibility for the October 7th events and mandated appropriate measures for senior commanders. Lieutenant Colonel A. was included due to his position at the time. The decision was based on military investigations, professional assessments of his errors, and his own defense arguments. In March, the officer sought a court injunction to halt the review board considering his dismissal, but on June 30th, the court ruled the process lawful and within the IDF's authority, affirming the army's right to dismiss officers for professional and command failures. The findings of investigations and an expert commission led by retired Major General Sami Turgeman informed the decision regarding Lieutenant Colonel A.'s responsibility. According to N12, the officer, who headed the division's intelligence department, is the son of a very senior retired military official. After assuming his post in May 2023, he reviewed Hamas's "Jericho Wall" attack plan, dismissing its scenarios as "completely fantastical." On the night before October 7th, despite signs of unusual activity in Gaza and high-level military consultations, he reportedly slept at the Re'im division base without his personal weapon and without placing his unit on alert.