

Bar-Giora was transformed into Hashomer in April 1909, which operated until the British Mandate of Palestine came into being in 1920. The first such organization was Bar-Giora, founded in September 1907. The IDF traces its roots to Jewish paramilitary organizations in the New Yishuv, starting with the Second Aliyah (1904 to 1914). Ariel Sharon (left), during the Battle of Abu-Ageila, June 1967 Among the primary opponents of the name were Minister Haim-Moshe Shapira and the Hatzohar party, both in favor of Tzva Yisra'el. The name was chosen because it conveyed the idea that the army's role was defense, and because it incorporated the name Haganah, the pre-state defensive organization upon which the new army was based. The other main contender was Tzva Yisra'el ( Hebrew: צְבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל). The Israeli cabinet ratified the name "Israel Defense Forces" ( Hebrew: צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), Tzva HaHagana LeYisra'el, literally "army for the defense of Israel," on. 9.2.2 Military ethics of fighting terror.The IDF is believed to have maintained an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967, possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads its nuclear-delivery system structure is widely suspected of having been successfully developed into a nuclear triad, primarily consisting of Jericho land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, Popeye Turbo maritime-based submarine-launched cruise missiles, and various delivery-capable aircraft.

Since 1967, the IDF has had a close security relationship with the United States, including in research and development cooperation, with joint efforts on the F-15I, the Tactical High-Energy Laser, and the Arrow, among others. Prominent Israeli-developed military equipment includes: the Merkava, a main battle tank the Achzarit, an armored personnel carrier Iron Dome, an air defense system Trophy, an active protection system the IMI Galil and IWI Tavor families of assault rifles and the Uzi, a family of submachine guns. It uses several technologies developed within Israel, with many of them made specifically to cater to its needs in its operational environment in the Levant. It is one of the most prominent institutions in Israeli society due to its influence on the country's economy and political scene. The IDF is unique among the militaries of the world due to its regulated conscription of women since its formation. However, notable Israeli–Syrian border incidents have occurred frequently since 2011 due to regional instability caused by the ongoing multi-sided Syrian Civil War. While it originally operated on three major fronts-against Lebanon and Syria in the north, against Jordan and Iraq in the east, and against Egypt in the south-the IDF has primarily shifted its focus to southern Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories since the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty and 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty. According to the think-tank organization, the number of wars and border conflicts in which the IDF has been involved in throughout its short history makes it one of the most battle-trained armed forces in the world. Since its formation shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the IDF has participated in every armed conflict involving Israel. On the orders of David Ben-Gurion, the IDF was formed on and began to operate as a conscript military, drawing its initial recruits from the already-existing paramilitaries of the Yishuv-namely Haganah, the Irgun, and Lehi.

The IDF is headed by the Chief of the General Staff, who is subordinate to the Israeli Defense Minister. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy. 'The Army of Defense for Israel'), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal ( צה״ל), is the national military of the State of Israel.
