A leaked Israeli investigation has revealed details about the failures of Israel's air defence during the October 7 attack.
According to the findings, Israeli Air Force (IAF) Chief Tomer Bar admitted that his forces were 'not effective enough' in responding to the surprise assault launched by Palestinian resistance factions.
According to Channel 12, the investigation details how the Israeli Air Force scrambled to respond in the early hours of the attack. However, despite mobilising all available forces, the military was caught off guard.
Bar, reflecting on the morning’s events, described the situation as a 'complete surprise'. He explained that Israeli air forces had to bring in personnel from furlough just to meet the demand for rapid action, but even then, their response was delayed and inadequate.
By 7:08 a.m. local time, Israel’s entire air force was placed on high alert; at 9:30 a.m. Bar declared the entire border area with Gaza a 'killing zone'. The measure allowed aircraft to target anyone approaching the border, including Israeli hostages.
The decision to target without discrimination raised serious concerns about the potential for further harm to Israeli captives held by Hamas.
According to the report, the military preparedness was reportedly undermined by the Jewish High Holidays, leaving some units at lower readiness levels.
While the air force had equipped additional planes to counter potential threats, this was insufficient against the highly coordinated assault by Palestinian factions.
Even with dozens of airstrikes launched, Israeli forces struggled to gain a clear intelligence picture due to incomplete and delayed reports from ground forces, leaving them unable to make timely decisions in the critical hours of the attack.
Hamas says its large surprise operation— dubbed the 'Al-Aqsa Flood' — came in response to Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories and escalating attacks against the Palestinian people.
Israel responded with an indiscriminate military campaign on Gaza, vowing to destroy Hamas, but also killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and displacing over 90% of the population.
The war, which is now in its fifteenth month, has utterly devastated Gaza and killed over 45,000 people — most of them women and children.
As the Israeli military’s internal investigation continues, public outcry over the failures has only intensified.
Despite the military’s ongoing inquiry, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over war crimes in Gaza, has resisted calls for an official commission of inquiry into the attack.
This internal probe comes at a time of heightened political tension in Israel. Netanyahu is under increasing scrutiny for his handling of the war. As the war drags on, there are increasing calls for an independent inquiry into the October 7 events.
It comes as ongoing indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US continue, with recent reports of progress.