The IDF announced on Tuesday that Col. "G." will become the first woman in Israeli Air Force history to be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general.
G. has commanded the Uvda Air Force base since May 2024 until now, and her next post will be to serve in the strategically crucial role of Air Force attaché in Washington, where critical decisions about the two countries' aerial cooperation are taken on a daily basis.
At 42 years old, G. had already broken new ground as the first female base chief in Air Force history.
In 2019, G. became the first woman to command an Air Force squadron, managing the Nachshon intelligence-collection squadron.
One prior woman had risen to the rank of brigadier-general in the IDF Ground Forces, before being transferred to a post within the Air Force, but G. is the first woman to be promoted up the ranks by the Air Force to this rank.
G. achieves third highest rank in IDF
A brigadier-general is the third-highest rank in the Israeli military, with fewer than 20 Maj.-Gens. serving in the IDF General Staff, and the only Lt.-Gen. being the IDF chief himself.
There have been three female major-generals: the current Head of the Military Court of Appeals, Orli Markman; Orna Barbivai, who served as the head of the manpower directorate; and Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who served as the Military Advocate-General.
There are other female brigadier-generals, such as Brig.-Gen. Yael Grosman in the C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate, but they are still few and far between, and earning that rank in the Air Force is considered especially difficult.
Zamir announces additional appointments
Additional appointments made by IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir at the same time included promoting Brig.-Gen. Omer Cohen to take command of the 91st Division.
Cohen had recently been in a senior desk job at IDF headquarters after having served for much of the war as the chief of the IDF Commando Brigade.
Brig.-Gen. Beni Aharon was promoted from commanding the 146th Division to commanding the more prominent 36th Division. Prior to this, Aharon had led one of the key armored commands for much of the war.
Next, Brig.-Gen. Oren Simcha was promoted to take charge of the Southern Command's 162nd Division.
In addition, Brig.-Gen. "Y." was appointed to the number two post in the Air Force, potentially setting him up as a future Air Force chief following Maj.-Gen. Omer Tischler, who just took office in May.
It is still undecided what will follow next for outgoing 36th Division commander Brig.-Gen. Yiftach Norkin, outgoing 91st Division commander Brig.-Gen. Yuval Gez, and outgoing 162nd Division commander Brig.-Gen. Sagiv Dahan.
There were also many other appointments at the rank of brigadier-general and colonel.