Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)

Intelligence body of the Israel Defense Forces

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Law enforcement agency

Military Intelligence Directorate
Israeli Military Intelligence
אגף המודיעין

Logo of the Israeli Military Intelligence

Flag of the Israeli Defense Forces Military Intelligence

Common name| Aman
Agency overview
Employees| Classified
Jurisdictional structure
National agency| Israel
Operations jurisdiction| Israel
Governing body| IDF General Staff

The Israeli Military Intelligence (Hebrew: אגף המודיעין, romanized: Agaf ha-Modi'in, lit. 'the Intelligence Section'), often abbreviated to Aman (Hebrew: אמ״ן), is the central, overarching military intelligence body of the Israel Defense Forces. Aman was created in 1950, when the Intelligence Department was spun off from the IDF's General Staff. The Intelligence Department was composed largely of former members of the Haganah Intelligence Service. Aman is an independent service, and not part of the ground forces, Navy or the Air Force.

It is one of the main entities and the largest component of the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Mossad and Shin Bet. It includes the cyber warfare branch Unit 8200, the human intelligence Unit 504, the secret technology Unit 81, and the training course Havatzalot Program. Its special operations unit is General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal).

## Roles and jurisdiction

[edit]

Intelligence Corps badge. Old logo of Aman

The IDF's Intelligence Corps (חיל המודיעין), abbreviated as Haman (חמ״ן) and headed by a brigadier general, has been detached from Aman since the Yom Kippur War, but remains under its jurisdiction.

In April 2000, the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps (חיל מודיעין השדה) was founded. Abbreviated as Modash (מוד״ש), it is the newest IDF corps, and the IDF's fifth land corps. It was designed to fulfill some of Aman's former combat intelligence functions, and is headed by a Brigadier General. Although it falls under the operational jurisdiction of the GOC Army Headquarters, it also falls under Aman's professional jurisdiction.

## History

[edit]

During the founding of the state of Israel, the Haganah military organization was primarily responsible for gathering intelligence, or one of its elite units, the Scherut Jediot (secret service), or Shai.

Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion commissioned the Shai in the late 1940s to create a secret service structure for Israel. Shai member Re’uwen Schiloach established it based on four independent services: Aman and Schin Bet, the foreign intelligence service Machleket Hacheker, and the Institute for Illegal Immigration Mossad le-Alija Bet (defunct in March 1952).

In mid-1949 Shiloah created the Committee of Secret Service chiefs as a super-ordinate body. From 1963 the international secret service was officially called "Institute for Intelligence Service and Special Tasks" (ha-Mosad le-Modi'in u-le-Tafkidim Mejuhadim), short Mossad.

An offshoot of the Department of Defense was the lesser-known Lakam technology intelligence agency. The existence of which was long considered a state secret. It was used to obtain scientific and technological information. In the 1980s, the Lakam lost much of its previous importance.

One of the biggest defeats of the Israeli secret services was caused by the Aman in the 1950s. Defense Minister Pinhas Lavon had to resign as part of the so-called Lavon affair. Aman-led "Operation Susannah" was intended to attack western facilities in Egypt by Israeli agents and saboteurs. The aim was to disrupt the good ties between the United States and the Egyptian head of state, Gamal Abdel Nasser. Egypt’s State Security interrogated the perpetrators and were given sensitive information from the Israeli Military Intelligence.

The US should believe that the Egyptian state is powerless against religious organizations. Egypt managed to uncover the agent circle. Ten members were sentenced in a show trial in January 1955, two of them to death. Lavon resigned a month later, then Binyamin Gibli, then Aman's director, two weeks later. Ultimately, the Head of State Ben-Gurion resigned in 1963 after being worn down by ongoing discussions.

## Units

[edit]

Aman consists of the following subordinate and professionally subordinate units:

### Staff units

[edit]

* Intelligence Corps

### Collection units

[edit]

* Camp 1391 (IDF black site)
* Unit 8200 (Signal Intelligence)
* Unit 9900 (Visual Intelligence)
* Unit 504 (Human Intelligence)

### Research

[edit]

* Research Department

### Information security

[edit]

* Information Security Department
* Military Censor [Part of Aman, but an entirely independent unit, not subordinate to any military or political level, only to parliamentary and judicial oversight]

### Special Operations Division

[edit]

* Unit 81 (Secret technology)
* General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Special Forces Intelligence Unit)
* Intelligence center [he]

### Other units

[edit]

* Supervision Department
* External Relations Department
* Ro'im Rachok
* Havatzalot Program

### Professionally subordinate units

[edit]

* Air Intelligence Group: the intelligence unit of the Israeli Air Force
* Naval Intelligence Division: the intelligence unit of the Israeli Navy
* Combat Intelligence Collection Corps: the intelligence unit of GOC Army Headquarters
* The intelligence units of the Regional Commands: Central, Northern, Southern and Home Front Commands
* Center for Consciousness Operations: a psychological warfare unit of the Operations Directorate

### List of directors

[edit]

The head of Aman is the senior intelligence officer in the IDF and engages in intelligence decision and policy-making at the same level as the heads of the Shabak and the Mossad: together, they form the three highest-ranking, co-equal heads of the Israeli Intelligence Community, focusing on the military, domestic (including the Palestinian territories), and foreign intelligence fronts respectively.

In June 2005, then-IDF's Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, in a move viewed as surprising, announced that Major General Aharon Zeevi-Farkash would be replaced by Major General Amos Yadlin. Yadlin, who had been serving as the IDF's military attaché in Washington, D.C., was a combat pilot, former head of the air force's Air Intelligence Directorate, and Halutz's deputy. Yadlin was appointed as Aman Director in January 2006, with Zeevi-Farkash having served an extended term. In November 2010, Yadlin was replaced by Major General Aviv Kochavi.

* 1948–1949: Isser Be'eri
* 1949–1950: Colonel Chaim Herzog
* 1950–1955: Colonel Binyamin Gibli
* 1955–1959: Major General Yehoshafat Harkabi
* 1959–1962: Major General Chaim Herzog
* 1962–1963: Major General Meir Amit
* 1964–1972: Major General Aharon Yariv
* 1972–1974: Major General Eli Zeira
* 1974–1978: Major General Shlomo Gazit
* 1979–1983: Major General Yehoshua Sagi
* 1983–1985: Major General Ehud Barak
* 1986–1991: Major General Amnon Lipkin-Shahak
* 1991–1995: Major General Uri Sagi
* 1995–1998: Major General Moshe Ya'alon
* 1998–2001: Major General Amos Malka [he]
* 2001–2006: Major General Aharon Zeevi-Farkash
* 2006–2010: Major General Amos Yadlin
* 2010–2014: Major General Aviv Kochavi
* 2014–2018: Major General Herzi Halevi
* 2018–2021: Major General Tamir Haiman [he]
* 2021–2024: Major General Aharon Haliva[1]
* 2024–: Major General Shlomi Binder

## See also

[edit]

* Israeli security forces
* Israeli Intelligence Community
* Other Military intelligence agency
* Defence Intelligence Agency (India)
* Strategic Intelligence Agency (Indonesia)
* Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye (GRU – Russian Military Intelligence)
* Defence Intelligence and the Intelligence Corps (UK)
* Direction du Renseignement Militaire (France)
* Defense Intelligence Agency (US)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Goldenberg, Tia (22 April 2024). "Israel's military intelligence chief resigns over failure to prevent Hamas attack on Oct. 7". AP News. Retrieved 19 May 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel).

* GlobalSecurity.org on Aman (1996)
* "Israeli Intelligence in the 1967 War," By Doron Geller, JUICE, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Education Dept.
* "Israeli Intelligence and the Yom Kippur War of 1973," By Doron Geller, JUICE, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Education Dept.
* The "Yom Kippur War: the IDF version," by Amir Oren, for Haaretz
* "Intelligence service under scrutiny," by Dan Baron, for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency

* v
* t
* e

Israeli Intelligence Community

Intelligence
Community|

* Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman)
* Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad)
* Security Agency (Shin Bet)
* Israel Police Intelligence Branch

Defense
Forces|

* Air Intelligence Directorate
* Naval Intelligence Division
* General Staff Intelligence Corps
* Combat Intelligence Collection Corps
* Unit 8200
* Information Security Department
* Research Department
* General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Unit 269/Sayeret Matkal)
* Ministry of Defense Security Authority
* Israeli Special Forces Units

Coordination|

* National Security Council
* Prime Minister's Office
* Ministry of Defense
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs
* Ministry of Public Security
* Ministry of Strategic Affairs

Oversight|

* Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset
* Ministry of Justice
* Military Court of Appeals

Defunct|

* Liaison Bureau (Nativ)
* Scientific Relations Bureau (Lekem)
* Ministry of Intelligence Services

* v
* t
* e

Israel Defense Forces

Arms / commands / directorates / attachés

| Arms|

* Sea Corps (Navy)
* Air Force
* Ground Forces

|

Commands|

* Northern
* Central
* Southern
* Home Front

Directorates|

* General Staff
* Operations
* Intelligence
* Personnel
* Planning
* Strategy and Third-Circle
* Technological and Logistics
* Computer Service
* Depth Corps

Attachés|

* Financial advisor
* Gender Affair Advisor
* Military Advocate General
* Court of Appeals
* Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories

Corps

| Ground Forces|

* Infantry
* Armor
* Artillery
* Combat Engineering
* Combat Intelligence Collection

|

Infantry brigades|

* Oz
* Paratroopers
* Golani
* Nahal
* Givati
* Kfir

Armor brigades|

* 7th
* 188th
* 401st
* 460th

Combat support
and rear-front|

* Technology and Maintenance
* Medical
* Intelligence
* C4I
* Education
* Adjutant
* Logistics
* Military Police
* Rabbinate
* General

Divisions

| Regular|

* 36th Armored
* 98th Paratroopers
* 162nd Armored

|

Territorial|

* 80th Edom
* 91st Galil
* 143rd Fire Fox
* 210th Bashan
* 877th Judea and Samaria

Reserve|

* 99th Infantry
* 146th Armored
* 252nd Armored

Insignia

* Berets, units symbols and uniform
* Ranks
* Decorations
* Flags

Other topics

* History
* Air Force
* Wars
* Operations
* Refusal
* Special forces
* Ministry of Defense
* Army Radio
* Reserve duty
* Israeli Military Order
* Military equipment
* Checkpoints
* Military prisons
* Weapons of mass destruction
* Nuclear
* Security forces
* Mossad
* Shabak
* Police
* Border Police
* Intelligence Community
* Security Council
* Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
* IDF Code of Ethics

* v
* t
* e

National intelligence agencies

Foreign
intelligence|

* Afghanistan: GDI
* Albania: SHISH
* Algeria: DRS
* Angola: SIE
* Argentina: SIDE
* Armenia: NSS
* Austria: DSN
* Australia: ASIS
* Azerbaijan: XKX
* Bahrain: NSA
* Bangladesh: NSI
* Belarus: KGB RB
* Belgium: ADIV/SGRS
* Bosnia and Herzegovina: OSA-OBA
* Botswana: DIS
* Brazil: ABIN
* Brunei: BRD
* Bulgaria: DAR
* Cameroon: BMM
* Canada: CSIS
* Chad: ANS
* Chile: ANI
* China: MSS
* Congo (Democratic Republic of): ANR
* Croatia: SOA
* Cuba: DI
* Czech Republic: ÚZSI
* Denmark: FE
* Djibouti: BSRG
* Ecuador: SENAIN
* Egypt: Mukhabarat
* Estonia: EFIS
* Ethiopia: NISS
* France: DGSE
* Gambia: SIS
* Georgia: GIS
* Germany: BND
* Ghana: BNI, BGU, RDU
* Greece: EYP
* Hungary: IH
* India: RAW
* Indonesia: BIN
* Iran: VAJA
* Iraq: INIS
* Ireland: G2
* Israel: Mossad
* Italy: AISE
* Ivory Coast: NSC
* Japan: CIRO
* Jordan: GID
* Kazakhstan: Syrbar
* Kenya: NIS
* Kyrgyzstan: UKMK
* Kuwait: KSS
* Latvia: SAB
* Liberia: NSA
* Lithuania: VSD
* Lebanon: GDGS
* Libya: MJ
* Malaysia: MEIO
* Mexico: CISEN
* Moldova: SIS
* Mongolia: GIA
* Montenegro: ANB
* Morocco: DGED
* Mozambique: SISE
* Netherlands: AIVD
* New Zealand: NZSIS
* Nigeria: NIA
* North Korea: RGB
* Republic of North Macedonia: ANB
* Norway: E-tjenesten
* Oman: Palace Office
* Pakistan: ISI
* Palestine: GIS
* Papua New Guinea: NIO
* Philippines: NICA
* Poland: AW
* Portugal: SIED
* Qatar: QSS
* Romania: SIE
* Russia: SVR
* Saudi Arabia: GIP
* Serbia: BIA
* Sierra Leone: CISU
* Singapore: SID
* Slovakia: SIS
* Slovenia: SOVA
* Somalia: NISA
* South Africa: SSA
* South Korea: NIS
* Spain: CNI
* Sri Lanka: SIS
* Sudan: GIS
* Sweden: KSI
* Switzerland: NDB
* Syria: GIS
* Taiwan: NSB
* Tajikistan: GKNB
* Tanzania: TISS
* Thailand: NIA
* Togo: NIA
* Tunisia: TIA
* Turkey: MİT
* Turkmenistan: MNS
* Uganda: ESO
* Ukraine: SZRU
* United Arab Emirates: SIA
* United Kingdom: SIS (MI6)
* United States: CIA
* Uzbekistan: SSS
* Vietnam: TC2

Domestic
intelligence|

* Algeria: CSS
* Angola: SINSE
* Argentina: SIDE
* Armenia: NSS
* Australia: ASIO
* Austria: DSN
* Azerbaijan: DTX
* Bangladesh: SB
* Belarus: KGB RB
* Belgium: VS/SE
* Bosnia and Herzegovina: SIPA
* Botswana: DIS
* Brazil: PF
* Brunei: IRD
* Bulgaria: DANS
* Burundi: SNR
* Canada: CSIS
* Chad: DGSSIE
* Chile: ANI
* China: MSS
* Colombia: DNI
* Congo (Democratic Republic of): ANR
* Croatia: SOA
* Czech Republic: BIS
* Denmark: PET
* Egypt: EHS
* Estonia: KAPO
* Finland: SUPO
* France: DGSI
* Georgia: SSSG
* Germany: BfV, LfV
* Ghana: GPS, CID
* Greece: EYP
* Hong Kong: NSD, CPGNSO
* Hungary: AH
* India: IB
* Indonesia: Baintelkam Polri (id), BIN
* Iran: VAJA, IRGC, PAVA
* Ireland: CSB, SDU, NSU
* Israel: Shin Bet
* Italy: AISI
* Japan: NPA, TMPD PSB, PSIA
* Kazakhstan: NSC
* Kenya: NIS
* Kosovo: AKI
* Latvia: VDD
* Lithuania: STT
* Lebanon: ISF IB, LSS
* Luxembourg: SREL
* Macau: DS
* Malaysia: SB
* Moldova: SIS
* Morocco: DGST
* Netherlands: NCTV
* New Zealand: NZSIS
* Nigeria: SSS
* North Korea: SSD
* Republic of North Macedonia: IA
* Norway: PST
* Oman: ISS
* Pakistan: IB, FIA
* Palestine: PPS
* Paraguay: SNI
* Peru: DINI
* Philippines: NBI, NICA
* Poland: ABW, SOP, SM
* Portugal: SIS
* Romania: SRI
* Russia: FSB
* Saudi Arabia: Mabahith
* Serbia: BIA
* Singapore: ISD
* Somalia: NISA
* South Africa: SSA
* South Korea: Intelligence Bureau, KNPA
* Spain: CITCO
* Sri Lanka: SIS
* Sweden: SÄPO
* Switzerland: NDB
* Syria: GIS
* Taiwan: MJIB
* Thailand: ISOC, SB
* Togo: ANR
* Turkey: MİT, İB
* Uganda: ISO
* Ukraine: SBU
* United Kingdom: Security Service (MI5), NDEDIU, NCA, NBIS
* United States: I&A (DHS), ID (HSI), IB (FBI), ONSI (DEA), OSII (ATF)
* Uzbekistan: SNB
* Venezuela: SEBIN
* Vietnam: TC5 (vi)
* Zimbabwe: CIO

Military
intelligence|

* Algeria: DCSA
* Angola: SIM
* Australia: DIO
* Austria: HNaA
* Bangladesh: DGFI
* Belarus: GRU MO RB
* Belgium: ADIV/SGRS
* Brazil: DIE
* Canada: CFINTCOM
* Chad: DGSSIE
* China: CMC JSD Intelligence Bureau
* Congo (Democratic Republic of): DEMIAP
* Croatia: VSOA
* Cuba: DCIM
* Czech Republic: VZ
* Denmark: FE
* Egypt: DMISR
* Finland: PE TIEDOS
* France: DRM, DGSE
* Germany: MAD
* Ghana: MIU
* Hungary: KNBSZ
* Iran: General Staff, SAHEFAJA, SAHEFASA, SAHEFAVEDJA
* India: DMI, DIA
* Indonesia: BAIS TNI, Pusintelad
* Ireland: G2
* Israel: Aman
* Italy: CII
* Japan: DIH
* Kazakhstan: NSC
* Lithuania: AOTD
* Malaysia: DIO
* Maldives: MNDF
* Morocco: DB
* Myanmar: Sa Ya Pa
* Netherlands: MIVD
* New Zealand: DDIS
* Nigeria: DIA
* North Korea: RGB
* Republic of North Macedonia: MSSI
* Norway: E-tjenesten
* Pakistan: MI, NI, AI
* Palestine: MIS
* Philippines: ISAFP
* Poland: SKW, SWW
* Portugal: CISMIL
* Romania: DGIA
* Russia: GRU
* Saudi Arabia: AFISC
* Serbia: VBA, VOA
* Singapore: MIO
* Slovakia: VS
* Slovenia: OVS
* South Africa: SANDF-ID
* South Korea: DIA, DCC
* Spain: CIFAS
* Sri Lanka: DMI
* Sweden: MUST
* Switzerland: MND, LWND
* Syria: MI, AFID
* Taiwan: MIB
* Thailand: AFSC
* Turkey: GENKUR İ.D.B.
* Ukraine: HUR MO
* United Kingdom: DI
* United States: DIA
* ONI
* MIC
* USAFI
* MCI
* CGI
* NSIC
* Venezuela: DGCIM
* Vietnam: TC2

Signals
intelligence|

* Australia: ASD
* Bangladesh: NTMC
* Brazil: 2ª Sch/EMD
* Canada: CSE
* China: SIGINT
* Croatia: OTC
* Ethiopia: INSA
* Finland: PVTIEDL
* France: DGSE, DRSD
* Germany: BND
* Ghana: RDU
* India: JCB, NTRO
* Indonesia: BSSN (id)
* Ireland: CIS
* Israel: 8200
* Japan: DIH
* Kazakhstan: NSC
* Netherlands: NSO, JSCU
* New Zealand: GCSB
* North Korea: RGB
* Norway: NSM
* Pakistan: JSIB
* Poland: AW, ABW, SKW, SWW, NCBC, gOR 3.FO, CRiWWRE, 2.ORel, 6.ORel, JW NIL
* Romania: STS
* Russia: Spetssvyaz
* Saudi Arabia: PSS
* South Africa: SSA
* Spain: CCN
* Sweden: FRA
* Switzerland: NDB
* Syria: MI
* Turkey: MİT-SİB
* UAE: SIA
* Ukraine: Derzhspetszviazok
* United Kingdom: GCHQ
* United States: NSA

Imagery
intelligence|

* Australia: AGO
* Finland: PVTIEDL
* India: DAI
* Indonesia: BIG
* Israel: Air Intelligence Group
* Malaysia: MaCGDI
* New Zealand: GEOINT NZ
* Poland: AW, SWW, ORO, 12.BBSP, JW NIL
* Pakistan: Air Intelligence
* Philippines: NMARSC
* Portugal: CIGeoE
* Russia: TsVTI GRU
* United Kingdom: DGIFC
* United States: NGA

Financial
intelligence|

* Argentina: UIF
* Australia: AUSTRAC
* Azerbaijan: MMX
* Bangladesh: FIU
* Brazil: COAF
* Canada: FINTRAC
* Fiji: FIU
* France: Tracfin, DNRED
* Iceland: SR
* India: CEIB
* Indonesia: PPATK
* Ireland: GNECB
* Italy: UIF
* Lithuania (FNTT)
* Malta: FIAU
* Mexico: UIF
* Netherlands: FIOD
* Poland: GIIF, SCS, CBA
* Qatar: FIU
* Russia: Rosfinmonitoring
* Saudi Arabia: GDOFI
* Spain: SVA, SEPBLAC
* Turkey: MASAK
* United Kingdom: NCA
* United States: TFI
* Vatican: ASIF

Criminal
intelligence|

* Argentina: DNIC
* Australia: ACIC
* Bangladesh: CID
* Canada: CISC
* Finland: NBI
* India: CBI
* Indonesia: Baintelkam Polri (id)
* Italy: DIA, DIGOS
* Philippines: NBI, PNP-IG
* Poland: BWiIK KGP, CBŚP, ZOŚ KGSG, ZK KGŻW
* Romania:  DGPI
* South Africa: Crime Intelligence Division
* Spain: CGI, SIGC, CGPJ, UCO
* United States: IB (FBI), ONSI (DEA), OSII (ATF), ID (HSI)
* United Kingdom: NCA

Intelligence
community|

* Australia
* Bangladesh
* Croatia
* France
* India
* Israel
* Italy
* New Zealand
* Pakistan
* Russia
* United Kingdom
* United States

Intelligence
alliances|

* Club de Berne
* Five Eyes
* Maximator
* Egmont Group

Defunct
agencies|

* Imperial Japan: Tokko
* Ming Dynasty: Embroidered Uniform Guard, Eastern Depot, Western Depot [zh], Internal Depot [zh]
* Republic of China: NBIS
* Nazi Germany: Gestapo, Sicherheitsdienst
* Soviet Union: NKVD, KGB
* United Kingdom: DMI
* United States: Office of Strategic Services
* Yugoslavia: KOS

Related
topics|

* Espionage (List of intelligence agencies)
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* Mass surveillance in China
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* Interpol
* Security agency
* Surveillance
* Big Brother
* Call detail record
* Carnivore
* Dishfire
* ECHELON
* PRISM
* Stone Ghost
* Turbulence (NSA programme)
* National security
* Surveillance issues in smart cities

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* VIAF

National|

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