IAF Commander Tomer Bar to Step Down in April After Four Years in Role

Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar, commander of the Israel Air Force (IAF), has announced he will step down in April 2026, ending a distinguished military career after four decades of service. According to a report by N12, Bar informed the IDF that he would not seek a one-year extension, opting instead to retire at the conclusion of his four-year term as IAF chief.

The decision comes despite significant pressure from IDF leadership for Bar to stay on, particularly due to the IAF’s critical role in Israel’s war with Hamas and its precision operations targeting Iranian, Hezbollah, and Houthi terror infrastructure since the October 7 massacre.

Bar’s tenure has been defined by his strategic leadership during Israel’s multi-front war, including complex aerial campaigns in Gaza and preemptive strikes across the Middle East. His decision to step down is not related to the post-October 7 probes, which cleared the IAF of operational failures during the attack.

However, one February report did note that Bar did not participate in a General Staff consultation on October 6, just one day before Hamas launched its devastating assault. While this detail raised eyebrows, the broader Turgeman Committee investigation found no fault in the IAF’s performance.

Bar’s potential retirement was first hinted at in January, when IAF insiders speculated he would resign following the publication of the October 7 assessments.

Bar, who enlisted in the IAF in 1987, has held nearly every major leadership role in Israel’s air force. His career includes commanding the Hatzerim Flight School, Tel Nof Airbase, and the Air Operations Directorate. He also served as IAF Chief of Staff and later led the IDF Planning Directorate before assuming command of the IAF in April 2022.

His successor has yet to be named, but current IAF Chief of Staff Brig.-Gen. Omer Tischler and Brig.-Gen. Eyal Greenbaum are seen as leading candidates.

Bar’s departure will mark the end of a pivotal chapter in the IAF’s history one marked by aerial precision, operational daring, and strategic deterrence in one of Israel’s most challenging wartime periods.

As Israel continues to defend its skies and safeguard its citizens, Bar's legacy will endure through the systems, doctrine, and personnel he helped shape.

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