Israel's Moment of Truth: IDF Chief Launches Major Investigation into Swords of Iron War

After more than a year of grinding combat across multiple fronts, Israel's military leadership is preparing to confront uncomfortable questions about its conduct of the war that followed the devastating Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, will convene senior commanders in the coming days to launch what military officials describe as the most comprehensive internal investigation the armed forces have undertaken in a decade, according to Israeli media reports.

The inquiry, expected to conclude by the end of 2026, will extend far beyond the intelligence and operational failures of Oct. 7 itself. Instead, it will scrutinize the military's performance across seven theaters of operation, with particular focus on a question that has troubled Israeli officials and the public alike: Why, after 15 months of intensive fighting, has Hamas not been decisively defeated?

The investigation will examine six major ground operations in Gaza, including large-scale offensives in Khan Younis and Rafah, as well as campaigns in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force. It will also review operations in Judea and Samaria and classified missions in the Syrian Golan Heights and against Iranian targets.

Military officials acknowledge that the inquiry will need to address how chronic manpower shortages affected battlefield performance, a sensitive topic in a country where reserve duty places heavy burdens on civilians.

Perhaps the most politically charged aspect of the investigation will examine how the presence of more than 100 hostages who were held by Hamas in Gaza influenced military decision-making. Commanders will be asked to explain whether pressure to avoid harming captives slowed the pace of operations or altered strategic priorities between northern and southern Gaza.

The military is considering appointing external review panels led by retired generals to ensure the inquiry's credibility. Officials say the goal is not only to understand what went wrong but to prepare for what many in Israel's security establishment believe will be years of multi-front conflict.

"The objective isn't just to understand what happened," one military official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations. "It's to ensure that next time, we can deliver a decisive blow much more swiftly."

The findings, which will be made public and shared with bereaved families, are likely to intensify an already heated national debate about Israel's military strategy and political leadership during the longest war in the country's history.