Amos Harel

Rebel groups' success in disrupting airport activity is a serious blow to the morale of the regime, which is being forced to divert weapons supply planes sent by Iran to military airfields.

Maj. Gen. Eizenkot was dragged into the Harpaz affair against his will, but now he is safely paving his way toward the IDF chief of staff job.

The IDF can consider Operation Pillar of Defense a success on some levels, but the week-long Gaza campaign also highlighted serious problems that need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Barak remains Barak, even in the short statement he made Monday morning, which was surprising and a little vague. Now both his fans and his rivals are wondering: What did he really mean by it?

None of Israel's political or military leaders imagines that this week's confrontation with Hamas will be the last. But it did buy both sides vital time to prepare for future rounds.

Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza don’t hide Iran’s role in arming them with missiles, and will clearly try to smuggle more into Gaza once a cease-fire is reached.

Israel is not thinking of reoccupying the Gaza Strip, but every day of waiting for news from Cairo could weaken what Israel achieved at the beginning of the operation and increase the risk of a disaster in which innocent people are hurt.

A tour along the border with the Gaza Strip, and a series of conversations with commanders on the ground and retired senior officers with knowledge of the situation, raises disturbing questions over the logic of a major ground operation at the current time.

Even if a cease-fire is reached, it's unlikely to be imposed immediately. But in the meantime, the fire continues.

Analyzing the interests of the two sides shows that Hamas indeed has something to fear from a reprise of Operation Cast Lead, which would involve an extensive Israel Defense Forces ground operation in the Strip.

Errant shells that have fallen in the Golan Heights are the result of the low level of expertise among the Syrian armed forces deployed in the area, according to a military assessment.

Israel launched a military operation in Gaza Wednesday, killing Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari in airstrike; over 100 rockets fired at Israel since; more than 25 rockets intercepted by Iron Dome System; Israel may expand Gaza operation, says senior official; Israeli cabinet authorizes IDF reservists call-up; UNSC held emergency meeting on escalation.

Ahmed Jabari was behind the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; Hamas: Israeli aggression will lead to war; Israel Police raises alert levels across the country.

Israel believes fire from Syrian territory over last two weeks was errant, a result of the imprecision of mortar shells and of the low-level expertise of Assad's forces'.

It seems Netanyahu would rather avoid a significant operation in the Strip, which is why the logical course of action for him would be to increase aerial strikes.

A TV report aired this week about the way Israel has contended with Iran's nuclear threat showed that when it suits their needs, the country's leaders have no problem going on the record about matters of national security.

Even if Obama’s attitude toward Israel seems estranged, he is a ‘responsible adult’ with a sober grasp of what’s happening in the Middle East and of strategic interests in the region.

The outgoing Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh is set to step down soon.

In his annual report to the General Assembly, Yukio Amano also says he remains 'seriously concerned' about North Korea's nuclear program.

Israel is set to purchase 19 of the aircrafts at a combined cost of $2.75 billion.

Amos Gilad calls President Morsi's regime a 'dictatorship;' Defense Minister Barak distances himself from the remarks.

Senior Israeli defense official Amos Gilad's decisive assessment of the regime in Cairo as a 'terrible dictatorship' is premature.

Amos Gilad described Morsi's government as a 'terrible dictatorship,' but stressed that Israel must safeguard the peace treaty with Egypt 'at any cost.'

Days after Ehud Barak said an attack on Iran could be postponed by 8 to 10 months Iran's atomic agency chief says Tehran 'is completing its nuclear activities regardless of the negative Western media speculation.'

IDF says it expects number of exemptions for ultra-Orthodox to continue rising, unless government decides to draft them; in 2011, a quarter of all draft-eligible Israeli males received exemptions from military service for various reasons.