IDF chief says Iran fight ‘not over,’ jokes that captivity training prepared soliders for leaders’ speeches

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir speaks at a pilots' graduation ceremony at the Hatzerim Airbase, July 9, 2026. (Screenshot: Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir speaks at a pilots' graduation ceremony at the Hatzerim Airbase, July 9, 2026. (Screenshot: Israel Defense Forces)

Speaking at a pilots’ graduation ceremony, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the campaign in Iran is “not over.”

“On the drawing board are new plans. Major operations are still expected to lie ahead of us. Be prepared,” he says in brief remarks.

Zamir says he would not be delivering his planned remarks after the president, prime minister, and defense minister gave long speeches at the ceremony.

“You’ve been through captivity training, which also prepared you for this ceremony,” he quips to the pilots.

In his planned speech, Zamir was supposed to say that hundreds of Israeli Air Force planes were on standby for “immediate takeoff” in recent weeks, as the military remains on high alert for developments across the Middle East.

“Even at this moment, we are closely monitoring developments in Iran and Lebanon and remain on high alert for immediate action,” the prepared text of the speech read.

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