Yaron Finkelman

Yaron Finkelman was born in 1975 in Ra'anana

Yaron Finkelman was born on April 25, 1975, in Ra'anana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern studies and political science and a master's degree in diplomacy and security from Tel Aviv University. He is married and has 3 children.

He joined the IDF in 1993 and later served in the 500th Brigade's reconnaissance unit, the Maglan Unit and the 890th Battalion. In 2005 he became head of the office of Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. He then commanded the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Battalion, the Fire Arrows Formation, the Northern Brigade in Gaza and the Givati Brigade.

As a brigadier general he led the Fire Formation and then the Operations Division at the Operations Directorate. In 2023 he was promoted to major general and took over the Southern Command. After the October 7 attacks he commanded the ground campaign in Gaza, including fighting in Khan Yunis and Rafah and hostage rescue operations.

In January 2025 he announced he would leave the IDF over the failures of October 7. Yaniv Asor replaced him in March 2025. In November 2025 Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir dismissed him from reserve duty.