IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi to resign in March, taking responsibility for October 7 failures

With his resignation, Halevi will become the shortest-serving permanent IDF chief of staff since Dan Halutz, who stepped down from the role after just 20 months following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

Israel's Kan News public broadcaster noted that Halevi requested that he be allowed to remain in post until after the first 42-day phase of the current hostage deal with Hamas, which is expected to end on March 1.

Hamas's October 7 assault—the deadliest single-day attack in the Jewish state’s history and the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust—led to a multi-front war against Iran’s proxies and militant allies in the region.

The military's intelligence lapses prior to the terror attack, as well as its failure to swiftly repel the mass infiltration from Gaza, has prompted a flurry of resignations in the IDF, including by top officials.

It comes after Halevi confirmed that he was instructing troops to prepare for “significant operations” in the West Bank.

Hinting at the possibility of further terror attacks in the territory, he said: “Along with the intense defence preparations in the Gaza Strip, we must be prepared for significant operations in [the West Bank] in the coming days in order to preempt and catch the terrorists before they reach our civilians.”

Moreover, he also ordered senior generals to “formulate plans for the continuation of the fighting, both in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon” in case the ceasefire deal falls apart.

Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu has been under pressure from far-right parties in his coalition to resume the Gaza War and has even himself referred to the current pause in fighting as “temporary”.