Israel Defense Intelligence (IDI)

Israel Defense Intelligence (IDI) is the largest member of the Intelligence community. It is a branch of the IDF's general staff and is responsible for Israel's national Intelligence evaluation, as opposed to other countries, where civilian organizations perform the function. The IDI head reports to the Chief of Staff, but is the Intelligence officer of the Israeli prime minister and government, and helps determine and direct Israel's security and foreign policies.

IDI is also responsible for the Intelligence furnished to the defense minister, the IDF's general staff and the various commands and fighting forces, and for all types of early warning, ongoing security, attack targets and intelligence during wartime.

Various units operate to ensure the IDI's ability to carry out its missions. They include a large unit for national Intelligence analysis and several units for collection, the most important of which is SIGINT (similar to the United States' National Security Agency (NSA). In addition there are HUMINT, VISINT, OSINT and mapping units. Manpower, technology, finances and logistics are operated by the Chief Intelligence Officer, who reports to the IDI head.

Within the Ground Forces and in the Air Force and Navy, there are also Intelligence units, which receive professional direction from IDI and are integrated into its national security evaluation.

Thousands of enlisted, career and reserve soldiers work for IDI.