Israel Defense Forces

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: ??? ????? ?????? {{Audio|He-Israeli Defense Forces.ogg|Ts'va Ha-Ha'ganah Le-Yisrael}} (" Force for the Defense of Israel"), often abbreviated ??"? Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israel's armed forces, comprising the Israel army, Israel air force and Israel navy. It was formed following the founding of Israel in 1948 to "defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel" and "to protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life." The predecessors to the IDF were the Haganah (in particular, its operational branch, the Palmach) and former elements of the Jewish Brigade that fought under the British flag during World War II. See also Jewish legion.

Israeli Defence Forces Ranks

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Enlisted דרגות חוגרים

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rank in Hebrew Abbreviations Pronounced as... US equivalent

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

טוראי none Turai Private

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב טוראי רב"ט Rav Turai Corporal

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

סמל none Samal Sergeant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

סמל ראשון סמ"ר Samal Rishon Staff Sergeant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

NCOs דרגות נגדים

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rank in Hebrew Abbreviations Pronounced as... US equivalent

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב סמל רס"ל Rav Samal Sergeant First Class

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב סמל ראשון רס"ר Rav Samal Rishon - Rasar First Sergeant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב סמל מתקדם רס"מ Rav Samal Mitkadem Sergeant Major

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב סמל בכיר רס"ב Rav Samal Bakhir Warrant Officer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב נגד רנ"ג Rav Nagad Chief Warrant Officer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Junior officers דרגות קצונה זוטרה

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rank in Hebrew Abbreviations Pronounced as... US equivalent

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

קצין מקצועי אקדמאי קמ"א Katzin Miktzo'i Academai Academic Officer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

קצין אקדמאי בכיר קא"ב Katzin Academai Bakhir Senior Academic Officer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

סגן-משנה סג"מ Segen Mishne Second Lieutenant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

סגן none Segen Lieutenant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

סרן none Seren Captain

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Senior officers דרגות קצונה בכירה

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rank in Hebrew Abbreviations Pronounced as... US equivalent

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב סרן רס"ן Rav Seren Major

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

סגן אלוף סא"ל Sgan Aluf Lieutenant Colonel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

אלוף משנה אל"מ Aluf Mishne Colonel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

תת-אלוף תא"ל Tat Aluf Brigadier General

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

אלוף none Aluf Major General

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

רב-אלוף רא"ל Rav Aluf Lieutenant General or General

Related Topics:
Rav Aluf - Lieutenant General - General

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Notes:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:*If the ranks of the IDF are to be translated one-to-one to Western ranks then a "Rav Aluf" is equivalent to Lieutenant General (since Major General is "Aluf"). But since Rav Aluf in Israel is the high commander of the army (including air force and navy), the translation of it as "General" is more appropriate.

Related Topics:
Rank - Lieutenant General - Major General - Israel - General

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:*In the IDF, the same ranks are used throughout the army, including air force and navy. This contrasts with many other armed forced that have a separate rank system for different branches.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:*IDF ranks in English

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:*IDF ranks in Hebrew

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~