Bombshell Report
October 7 Revisited: Whistleblower Claims Army Hid Warnings from Netanyahu and Bennett
Retired IDF Major General Yitzhak Brik blows the whistle on decades of military failures and alleged cover-ups, claiming a 2018 report warning of Israel’s unpreparedness for war was deliberately hidden from political leaders.
In a bombshell interview with Srugim News, retired Major General Yitzhak Brik dropped a grenade of accusations, claiming the Israeli military deliberately concealed a scathing 2018 report from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders, exposing the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) unpreparedness for war.
The report, penned by Brik during his tenure as IDF Ombudsman, warned of systemic failures across the military, failures he says paved the way for the catastrophic Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The revelations, aired on September 30, 2025, have reignited debates about accountability, military culture, and leadership as Israel grapples with ongoing conflict and internal strife.
Brick, speaking to Srugim’s Natanel Izak, didn’t hold back. His 250-page report, based on a decade of inspecting 1,600 IDF units, detailed a “collapse” in critical systems, tanks, paratroopers, Iron Dome, border defenses, logistics, and more.
He painted a picture of a “terrible” organizational culture riddled with lies, no oversight, and a refusal to learn lessons. “I warned the army wasn’t ready for war, and a disaster happened,” Brik said, referencing the October 7 attack that killed 1,200 and saw 251 taken hostage. Yet, he alleges, senior military officials buried his findings to protect their image, leaving political leaders in the dark.The general recounted a heated moment when Netanyahu, flipping through the report, berated his then-military secretary (now Central Command chief) for keeping it from him: “How do I not know about this? A 250-page report saying the army’s not ready, and I haven’t seen it?”
Brick claims military secretaries, loyal to IDF chiefs over elected officials, routinely filter information. He shared a similar story about Naftali Bennett, who, as defense minister and later prime minister, complained of being stonewalled by the IDF. “You’re hiding the truth from me!” Bennett reportedly shouted at his military aide.Brick’s sharpest jab was reserved for current IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who replaced Herzi Halevi after his resignation.
Initially, Zamir echoed Brik’s concerns about the army’s weaknesses, but as chief, he promised Netanyahu to crush Hamas, free hostages, and reshape Gaza’s governance, goals he failed to achieve, losing 70 soldiers in the process. When Zamir later opposed re-entering Gaza City, warning of a “death trap” with heavy casualties and no strategic gain, Netanyahu overruled him. Brick argues Zamir should have resigned rather than lead soldiers into a doomed mission: “A proper chief would’ve put down his keys and said, ‘I won’t do it
Brik’s solution? A ceasefire to free hostages, rebuild the IDF, and shore up Israel’s crumbling economy, healthcare, and tech sectors. “We’re in the worst state since the country’s founding,” he warned, urging leaders to face reality.
As Israel marks two years since October 7, Brik’s claims of a military cover-up are stoking fierce debate: Is this a call for accountability or a settling of old scores? Either way, the IDF’s trust deficit just got harder to ignore.
Brik’s explosive revelations force Israel to confront uncomfortable questions: who knew what, when and how many lives might have been saved if the truth had been told?