Zamir was born in Eilat. His father, an IDF lieutenant colonel, was stationed there, which led the family to settle in the Red Sea resort town. At 14, he moved to a military boarding school in Tel Aviv. His yearbook entry predicted a promising military future: "a chief of staff at the very least!"—a prophecy realized today.
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רב אלוף אייל זמיר, הרמטכ"ל ה-24 של צה"לרב אלוף אייל זמיר, הרמטכ"ל ה-24 של צה"ל
The 24th IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir
(Photo: IDF)
During school breaks, he stayed with his grandfather, Aharon, who lived in Tel Aviv's Kerem HaTeimanim neighborhood. Aharon immigrated to Israel from Yemen in the 1920s, fought as a member of the paramilitary Irgun and was wounded twice. Zamir’s mother, born in Jerusalem, comes from the renowned Abadi family, famous for their biscuit manufacturing, which traces its roots to Aleppo.
Zamir has served in the IDF for 38 years in a variety of combat and command positions. He enlisted in 1984 in the Armored Corps, later completing the Tank Commanders’ Course with honors before becoming an officer. In 1992, he was appointed operations officer for the 7th Armored Brigade, and two years later, he took command of the 75th Battalion. He subsequently served as the operations officer of the 162nd Division.
In 2003, Zamir was appointed commander of the 7th Armored Brigade, and four years later, he took command of the 143rd Division. He later led the 36th Division. In 2012, he became military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and in 2015, he was appointed head of the Southern Command. His last military role, from 2018 to 2021, was as deputy chief of staff under Aviv Kochavi.
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אייל זמיר בצעירותואייל זמיר בצעירותו
Eyal Zamir's yearbook entry predicted a promising military future: 'a chief of staff at the very least!'
In that capacity, he oversaw the implementation of the Momentum multi-year plan and managed the military’s support for the civilian sector during the COVID-19 pandemic and Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021. In 2023, as a retired general, he became the director-general of the Defense Ministry, where he played a key role in strengthening Israel’s military capabilities and maintaining strong ties with the U.S. He oversaw anunprecedented procurement operation of weaponry, including fighter jets and munitions, as well as bolstering domestic arms production.
Now, officially taking over as IDF chief of staff, Zamir has been promoted to lieutenant general. He is the first tank officer to hold the position since David "Dado" Elazar in the 1970s and also the oldest chief of staff in the IDF's history.
Zamir holds a bachelor’s degree from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree from the University of Haifa. He also completed management courses at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia and the École Militaire in Paris. He resides in Hod Hasharon with his wife, Orna, and their three children. His son Ori, a major in the Armored Corps, has been fighting in Gaza since the war began and previously received the chief of staff’s commendation. His daughter Roni, a former officer in the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, was called up for reserve duty during the war. His youngest son, Itai, is 15 years old.
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שיחת פתיחה של הרמטכ"ל, רא"ל אייל זמיר, עם פורום המטה הכללישיחת פתיחה של הרמטכ"ל, רא"ל אייל זמיר, עם פורום המטה הכללי
Eyal Zamir's opening statment at his inaugural General Staff meeting
(Photo: IDF)
Zamir is known for his disciplined and methodical leadership. He opposed downsizing the IDF’s tank forces, resisted shutting down an attack helicopter squadron and backed former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman’s plan to establish a Missile Corps. A vocal critic of overreliance on the Air Force, he has pushed to strengthen the IDF’s neglected ground maneuvering capabilities.
He was Netanyahu’s favored candidate for chief of staff as early as 2018, but at the time, he was deemed inexperienced, having only served in one General Staff role—Southern Command. He was also considered in 2022 but lost out to Herzi Halevi. Zamir is well-regarded within the military and across the political spectrum. Before his appointment, senior government officials said that "Zamir is trusted by Israel’s leadership and is the right person to rebuild the IDF after the failures of October 7."
At a meeting at President Isaac Herzog’s residence, outgoing Chief of Staff Halevi told Zamir, "This house is a source of strength and support for the IDF to ensure the military remains a unique institution, above any political agenda—focused solely on national security." He expressed confidence that Zamir would lead the IDF to new achievements and higher preparedness.
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רב-אלוף הרצי הלוי ורב-אלוף אייל זמיר בהיכל הזיכרון הממלכתי לחללי מערכות ישראל בהר הרצלרב-אלוף הרצי הלוי ורב-אלוף אייל זמיר בהיכל הזיכרון הממלכתי לחללי מערכות ישראל בהר הרצל
The chief of staff handover ceremony
(Photo: IDF)
In his inaugural speech, Zamir stressed that Israel remains in an existential war and that Hamas has yet to be defeated. He vowed to prioritize the return of the hostages still held in Gaza and called for drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the IDF to ensure an equal distribution of the national defense burden.
"On the morning of October 7, the IDF failed in its mission. The border was breached. Our enemies infiltrated our communities, massacring our children, our women, our brothers and sisters. But from the devastation, the Israeli people rose again, demonstrating their strength and unity in times of crisis. Soldiers and civilians alike engaged the enemy, fighting as individuals and in small units, often at the cost of their own lives. They showed us that we are one people," he said.
Zamir emphasized that the fight is not over. "We achieved significant victories on the battlefield. We won battles in Gaza and Lebanon and struck targets in Yemen and Iran. Hamas has been dealt a heavy blow but has not yet been defeated. The mission remains unfinished. We will never forget the horrors of October 7. We will etch in our hearts the memory of our sons and daughters, pure of heart, fleeing from a festival in an open field, hunted by predators. We will remember the entire families, the terror-stricken faces of children and parents, slaughtered and burned. We will never forget the cries for help against the sheer evil of the murderers. We will not forgive. We will not forget. This is a war for survival! We will continue the fight to bring our hostages home and achieve victory."
As Zamir assumes his new role, he faces significant challenges beyond the ongoing war, including appointing a new deputy chief of staff and a new commander of the Southern Command. He will also oversee theintegration of ultra-Orthodox recruits, the potential military collapse of Hamas in Gaza if the war resumes and possibly an unprecedented operation in Iran with U.S. support.
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רב-אלוף הרצי הלוי ורב-אלוף אייל זמיר בכותל המערבי ובהיכל הזיכרון הממלכתי לחללי מערכות ישראל בהר הרצלרב-אלוף הרצי הלוי ורב-אלוף אייל זמיר בכותל המערבי ובהיכל הזיכרון הממלכתי לחללי מערכות ישראל בהר הרצל
Zamir at the Western Wall
(Photo: IDF)
Zamir met with Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF General Staff members, where he announced the formation of an expert team led by retired Maj. Gen. Sami Turgeman to reassess the IDF’s October 7 investigations. Katz also approved Zamir’s recommendations to appoint Maj. Gen. Yaniv Assor as head of Southern Command and Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen as head of the Operations Directorate.
In his first meeting with the General Staff, Zamir presented his vision for transforming and expanding the IDF, focusing on bolstering the ground forces, which have deteriorated over the past decade. He declared that 2025 would be a year of war, with an emphasis on Gaza and Iran, while also consolidating achievements in other theaters.
He underscored the importance of military victory and called the return of the hostages a moral obligation, ordering that their photos be displayed in his office until they are freed. Zamir also instructed the reestablishment of an additional tank brigade and the potential formation of a new infantry brigade. Furthermore, he decided to disband the Strategic and Iran Directorate and transfer its responsibilities to other divisions.
Longtime friend Roni Marom described Zamir as a leader of unwavering integrity, saying, "He will always put the IDF first, free of any external or political influence. He is a man of principles who will see things through to the end, no matter the cost."