Military Intelligence Directorate Directorate of Military Intelligence אגף המודיעין شعبة الاستخبارات العسكرية |
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Common name | Aman |
Agency overview | |
Employees | classified |
Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
Jurisdictional structure | |
National agency | Israel |
Governing body | IDF General Staff |
General nature |
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Operational structure | |
Agency executive | Major General Herzl Levi, Chief of Military Intelligence |
The Directorate of Military Intelligence (Hebrew: אגף המודיעין, Agaf HaModi'in – lit. "the Intelligence Section"; Arabic: شعبة الاستخبارات العسكرية), often abbreviated to Aman (Hebrew: אמ"ן; Arabic: آمان), 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 itself 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 is currently headed by Major General Herzi Halevi. It includes the special forces unit Sayeret Matkal, and the elite training course Havatzalot Program.
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.