Israel’s new army chief declares 2025 ‘Year of War’

The newly appointed Israeli Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has claimed that 2025 will be a “year of war” against Gaza and Iran, Israeli media outlets reported yesterday.

Hours after succeeding his predecessor General Herzi Halevi as head of the Israeli occupation army on Wednesday, Zamir met with the occupation army’s top leadership, announcing a series of dramatic decisions, including appointing an external panel of experts to reevaluate the military’s probes into the events of 7 October 2023, as well as closing the army’s Iran directorate and forming a new tank brigade, the Times of Israel reported.

Zamir appointed Major General Yaniv Asor, the former head of the Personnel Directorate, as the next chief of the Southern Command. Asor will replace Major General Yaron Finkelman, who announced his resignation over the events of 7 October.

Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, the commander of the 162nd Division, was appointed the next head of the Operations Directorate. Cohen, who led the ground invasion of Gaza for 15 months, will be promoted to the rank of major general. He will replace Major General Oded Basiuk, who also announced his resignation.

Zamir said 2025 would be “a year of war” with a focus on the Gaza Strip and Iran, while “preserving the achievements and deepening them in other arenas.”

He also told the meeting generals that returning the Israeli captives from Gaza is “a moral duty,” and the army would act to return all of them home. Zamir has placed photos of the captives in his office until they are returned.

Halevi resigned in January shouldering responsibility for the army’s failures on 7 October 2023.

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