The outgoing Israeli Air Force (IAF) commander said Tuesday that the military would not give up its ability to act independently, speaking amid tensions in the Persian Gulf and speculation about possible renewed fighting with Iran.
Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar spoke at Tel Nof Air Base during a ceremony marking the change of command in the IAF. Bar, who is stepping down after 39 years in the military, said Israel had fought alongside the United States against Iran and underscored the importance of continued cooperation while maintaining Israel’s operational independence. He will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Omer Tishler.
“We fought in Iran shoulder to shoulder with the number one superpower in the world, in cooperation and with unprecedented operational achievements,” Bar said. “We worked together on the plans and we flew together, two air forces that are a powerful unified force. We will preserve that capability, but we will not give up our ability to act independently. Even at this very moment, we are alert and prepared for every development, in defense and offense.”
Bar also addressed the Oct. 7 attack, calling it the Jewish people's worst national disaster since the Holocaust. “October 7 was the greatest disaster we have experienced since the Holocaust,” he said. “I will carry with me forever the deep meaning of that day. We were not there for the citizens. It happened on my watch.”
He added that the IAF was caught off guard but quickly shifted to emergency footing once fighting began.
“For the first time in the history of the IAF, our mission was to defend the citizens of the state while war was taking place inside the country,” Bar said. He noted that air defense systems intercepted hundreds of rockets and missiles, and that rescue and special operations units fought with what he described as great heroism, while acknowledging heavy Israeli casualties.
Bar also addressed the period of mass protests in Israel over the government’s controversial judicial reform plan, saying the military worked to keep politics out of the armed forces.
“At the beginning of my tenure, we were in the eye of a social storm,” he said. “We drew a clear boundary between politics and influence and the purity of the IDF. It was not easy, but we fought to preserve the readiness and cohesion of the IAF.”
He said he still stood by those decisions, adding that the military had been “a step away from undermining the foundations of the IAF,” but demonstrated resilience during wartime operations across multiple fronts.
Incoming commander Omer Tishler said he was assuming command with a sense of duty after more than two years of war.
“With reverence and a deep sense of mission and responsibility, I accept today the command of the IAF,” Tishler said. He described the IAF as a central pillar of Israel’s national security and referred to the ongoing multi-front conflict that began with the Oct. 7 attack.
Separately, the IDF conducted rehearsal flights over the Jerusalem area on Monday ahead of Bar’s farewell flyover, causing alarm among residents after low-flying aircraft appeared without prior public notice. The drills continued on Tuesday after the military acknowledged it had failed to inform the public in advance.
Bar met on Monday with Defense Minister Israel Katz, who praised his service and said he led the IAF during “the most challenging and complex period” in its history.