As IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approaches the midpoint of his tenure, attention in the military leadership is shifting to the next deputy chief of staff, replacing Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai. The leading contenders are former Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Uri Gordon, who also served in Sayeret Matkal, as Nachal Brigade commander and as commander of the 98th Division, and current Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, who is highly regarded in the General Staff and in Defense Minister Israel Katz’s office.
According to General Staff sources, the decision is nearing and Asor appears to be the favorite. Asor, known as the “Golanchik,” previously commanded Battalion 51 in the Second Lebanon War, Egoz, the Golani Brigade, the Bashan Division, the Operations Branch in the Operations Directorate, and the IDF Personnel Directorate. A last-minute change could still leave Yadai in the deputy chief post until the end of Zamir’s term.
The next chief of staff is also not settled. The most senior candidate is reserve Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, now director general of the Defense Ministry. For the next Central Command post, sources believe Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, currently head of the Personnel Directorate, is the likely pick to replace Maj. Gen. Avi Blot. The replacement of the next Personnel Directorate head has not yet been decided, and there is talk that Blot may later seek the next Military Intelligence chief role.
Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder is described as very secure in his job and highly valued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz, Zamir and other generals. There are no plans to replace him, and he may stay at least another year. Another possible future contender for that role is Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, head of the Operations Directorate. Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, head of the Ground Forces since December 2024, is also being mentioned as a possible future Southern Command commander. The IDF said Zamir does not limit the deputy chief’s term and that the matter is not under discussion.
