Israeli Navy Chief Steps Down Amid Regional Operations and Post-Oct. 7 Assessments The head of the Israeli Navy, Vice Adm. David Saar Salama, announced his resignation on Thursday after four and a half years in command, including more than two years during the ongoing conflict. Salama, who completed 39 years of military service, handed over leadership to Vice Adm. Eyal Harel. His tenure was marked by significant operational expansion, including strikes in areas where the navy had not previously operated, as well as the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, which exposed critical vulnerabilities in Israel’s military readiness. The Oct. 7 assault, in which Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, included a maritime component where terrorists infiltrated the country by sea near Zikim, killing 17 people before being intercepted. An internal navy investigation initially concluded that forces responded swiftly to prevent a larger attack, but a broader military review later deemed the probe inadequate. This assessment highlighted systemic failures in the navy’s preparedness for such threats. Since the start of the Gaza war, Israeli naval officials have reported a severe degradation of Hamas’ maritime capabilities. Most of its naval assets have been destroyed, and many operatives in its naval units have been killed or reassigned. However, officials emphasized that the threat remains active and could be rebuilt over time. In the Lebanon theater, the Israeli Navy has played a central role in operations against Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group. During the conflict, including a major operation in October 2024, the navy conducted dozens of strikes that destroyed most of Hezbollah’s shore-to-sea missile arsenal. Israeli assessments now estimate that Hezbollah retains approximately 100 such missiles.#hezbollah #shayetet_13 #israeli_navy #david_saar_salama #eyal_harel
