[96450] Change of Command in the IDF: Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram Appointed Head of the Operations Division
A Round of Appointments in the IDF Operations Division
The IDF Spokesperson officially announced that Brigadier General Barak Hiram, former commander of the Gaza Division, took office last night as Head of the Operations Division. Hiram replaces Brig. Gen. Israel Shomer, who was removed from his post after being suspected of an affair with a subordinate, as reported by the IDF - The Official Channel and by Nitzan Shapira on Telegram.
The appointment comes against the backdrop of a complex picture described by Political-Security Cabinet - Moriah Asraf & Doron Kadosh, who reported "chaos" in the division in recent weeks, while its three senior positions were not filled by permanent figures. According to the source, the system operated through a series of acting officials, including Col. A, who filled the role of Head of the Operations Division, and Col. (Res.) Shlomi Ben Lulu, who was appointed acting Head of the Operations Department.
The instability stemmed, among other things, from the severe injury in Lebanon of Col. Meir Biderman, who was supposed to be appointed Head of the Operations Department, and the fact that Col. Ayub Kayuf finished his role to command the Golani Brigade. Now, concurrently with Brig. Gen. Hiram's entry, further changes are taking place: Col. A is expected to enter the role of Head of the Operational Planning Division today, replacing Col. A, who is moving to command the Bahad 1 officer training school.
Upon taking office, Brig. Gen. Hiram emphasized that he "believes the strength of the division lies in its people - each and every one here contributes to the complete operational effort" (according to the official IDF announcement). The Operations Division, defined as the "beating heart" of force employment in the IDF, continues its activity in the midst of the war in Lebanon, while the General Staff works to stabilize the chain of command in the "Pit" (command bunker) at the Kirya.