Former Israeli Air Force Chief Criticizes October 7 Response, Calls for Faster Readiness

Retired Major General Eitan Ben Eliyahu, former commander of the Israeli Air Force, criticized the Air Force's response during the morning of October 7, 2023, stating it failed to react quickly despite being designed for rapid emergency response. Speaking at a lecture at the Commercial and Industrial Club in Tel Aviv, Ben Eliyahu emphasized the need to learn from the shortcomings of that day. He highlighted that at least part of the air force should be kept on high alert, ready to respond within 30 minutes, even in the event of a surprise attack.

Ben Eliyahu's remarks come two and a half years after the October 7 attack, during ongoing debates among former senior defense officials about the security system's performance that morning. He stressed that the key lesson from the failure is the importance of maintaining immediate readiness to prevent similar lapses in the future. The lecture, delivered before noon at the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv, was reported by journalist Gideon Alon.

Ben Eliyahu concluded that the Air Force's inability to respond swiftly on October 7 reveals a critical vulnerability and that implementing rapid readiness protocols is essential to improve Israel's defense posture against unexpected threats.