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Tomer Bar

Extended-protected article
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tomer Bar
תומר בר
Official portrait, 2022
Commander of the Israeli Air Force
In office
4 April 2022 – 5 May 2026
Prime MinisterNaftali Bennett
Yair Lapid
Benjamin Netanyahu
IDF ChiefAviv Kochavi
Herzi Halevi
Eyal Zamir
Preceded byAmikam Norkin
Succeeded byOmer Tischler
Personal details
Born (1969-06-11) 11 June 1969 (age 57)
Kfar Yehoshua, Israel
Military service
Allegiance Israel
Branch/service Israeli Air Force
Years of service
1987–2026
Rank Aluf
Commands133 Squadron
69 Squadron
Tel Nof Airbase
Air Force Operations Department
Israeli Air Force Flight Academy
Tel Nof Airbase
IAF Chief of Air Staff
IDF Force Design Directorate
Israeli Air Force
Battles/warsSecurity Zone in Lebanon Campaign
Second Intifada
Operation Defensive Shield
Second Lebanon War
Operation Cast Lead
Operation Pillar of Defense
Operation Brother's Keeper
Operation Protective Edge
Operation Swords of Iron
2026 Israeli–United States strikes on Iran

Tomer Bar (Hebrew: תומר בר; born 11 June 1969) is an Israeli general who served as Commander of the Israeli Air Force. Before his selection to succeed Amikam Norkin as commander of the IAF, Bar served as head of the IDF Force Design Directorate, a reorganized version of what was once the Planning Directorate.[1]

Biography

Bar was born on 11 June 1969, one of six children of Erela and Natan Bar. He enlisted in the IDF in 1987 and completed the pilot course with honors in 1989.[2]

He served as a F-16 fighter pilot with the 110, 116 and 140 Squadrons. After a period of study in the United States, he was assigned as an F-15 pilot with the 133 Squadron in 1998.[3]

From 1999 to 2002, he served as head of the Operations Branch at the Air Force Headquarters. In 2005, Bar was appointed commander of the 69 Squadron, which was equipped with the F-15I, and commanded the squadron during the Second Lebanon War. During his tenure, the squadron have undertaken Operation Orchard, the destruction of a Syrian nuclear site on 6 September 2007. During his service, he served as head of the Air Force's Operations Department for three years, including during Operation Cast Lead. In 2010, he was appointed commander of the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy, and served in that position until 2012.[3]

In February 2012, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and appointed commander of the Tel Nof Airbase, where he took part in the training of UAV operators and commanded the base during Operation Pillar of Cloud. On 17 October 2017, he was appointed chief of staff of the Air Force, and served in that position until 22 October 2019, including during the February 2018 Israel–Syria incident. On 18 June 2020, he was promoted to major general, and was appointed head of the IDF Force Design Directorate on 21 June.[4][5]

In September 2021, he was announced as the next appointee of commander of the IAF and on 4 April 2022, Bar was appointed commander of the IAF, replacing Major General Amikam Norkin.[6][7]

Throughout 2023, he faced the challenge of Air Force reservist pilots refusing to serve in protest as part of their involvement in the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests. In July 2023, in response to attacks by right-wing politicians and activists against the IDF during the protests, he stated that "the harsh statements said against the IDF and the Air Force, both mandatory service and reserves in recent days, there is no place in our society for such statements, and they are desecrating and are causing great damage to the cohesion of our forces." On 3 October 2023, Bar issued an ultimatum to pilots protesting judicial reform who were refusing to serve that they return to service by 17 October or risk being removed from the Air Force.[8][9]

On 7 October 2023, militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Israeli soldiers and civilians. The Air Force, under Bar's command, took part in operations to contain the terrorists who infiltrated Israel during the attack. It also carried out intensive strikes in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon during the Gaza war and played a significant role in countering the Iranian strikes against Israel in April 2024. On several occasions during the war, he personally participated in combat sorties.[10]

Bar served as commander of the IAF during the Twelve-Day War with Iran in June 2025 and during 2026 Iran war. On May 2026 he was replaced by Omer Tischler as Commander of the Israeli Air Force.[11]

Awards and decorations

Tomer Bar was awarded three campaign ribbons for his service during three conflicts.

Second Lebanon War South Lebanon Security Zone Operation Protective Edge

References

  1. ↑ Ari Gross, Judah (27 September 2021). "Tomer Bar picked as next head of the Israeli Air Force". Times of Israel. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "אראלה בר-שירה מכפר יהושע, אמו של מפקד חיל האוויר החדש: "גאווה ואושר"". Mynet. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 "ראש מטה חיל-האוויר – תא"ל תומר בר". Israeli Air Force. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "אלוף תומר בר: "מדינות במערב מחפשות שיתופי פעולה עם צה"ל בפיתוח פרויקטים משותפים"". Calcalist. 27 December 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "מפקד תל-נוף החדש: תא"ל תומר ב". Israeli Air Force. 12 February 2012. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (4 April 2022). "New Israeli Air Force chief Tomer Bar takes up post". Times of Israel. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  7. ↑ Ahronheim, Anna (5 July 2021). "New IAF commander announced: Tomer Bar – IDF". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  8. ↑ Jacob, Yonah Jeremy (20 July 2023). "Israel's Air Force chief: Attacks on IDF could take years to fix". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ↑ "Israeli Air Force chief to protesting pilots: Return to duty by Oct. 17". Jewish News Syndicate. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ↑ "חריג: מפקד חיל האוויר השתתף בתקיפת מטרות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה I דיווח". Maariv. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  11. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (5 May 2026). "At handover ceremony, outgoing Air Force chief calls for 'external' Oct. 7 inquiry". Times of Israel. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tomer_Bar&oldid=1358421287"