On May 5, Israel's prime minister Netanyahu announced a plan that would indefinitely reoccupy Gaza, forcibly displacing Palestinians and confining them to controlled humanitarian zones managed by the IDF and private companies. This strategy, which attempts to militarize humanitarian aid, has been widely criticized for exacerbating the suffering of Palestinians and deepening structural repression.

In response to deadly sectarian clashes in Syria, Israeli Defense Forces issued orders for troops to strike Syrian government targets to help protect the Druze minority. This move comes amid regional calls for intervention against what many term a 'genocidal campaign' against vulnerable communities.

In March 2025, the Israel Defense Forces were implicated in the killing of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza. The Israeli military attributed the incident to 'professional failures' and operational misunderstandings, a framing that has sparked international condemnation over the use of lethal force against humanitarian workers.

Israeli Military Police is investigating six cases where IDF soldiers allegedly forced Palestinian civilians in Gaza to serve as human shields during military operations, following a Red Cross report and pressure from NGOs and foreign governments.

Brigadier General Jacob Nagel outlined a comprehensive reform for the IDF, shifting the focus from a primarily defensive posture to a doctrine emphasizing prevention and preemptive offensive actions. This strategic change, designed in response to evolving regional threats post-October 7 attacks, aims to reallocate resources toward offensive capabilities and border security.

Reports indicate that facing allegations of war crimes in Gaza, the Israeli government has taken extraordinary steps—linked with the IDF—to conceal the identities of soldiers implicated in these actions. This move is seen as part of a broader propaganda effort during an image crisis, undermining accountability and transparency.

The Israel Defense Forces allocated an additional $150 million for its 2025 global PR budget to reshape international opinion on its military actions in Gaza. The substantial increase—marking a 20-fold rise over previous years—is viewed as part of a state-led propaganda effort aimed at deflecting criticism over civilian casualties and controversial military tactics.

Human Rights Watch has reported that the Israel Defense Forces used US-provided arms in operations in Gaza that resulted in extensive civilian casualties, forced displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure, with allegations amounting to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

A ProPublica investigation reports that several IDF units committed serious human rights violations, including a 2019 incident in which a soldier fatally shot an unarmed Palestinian and received only community service as punishment. Secretary of State Blinken defended the decision as adequate, a stance criticized by experts as indicative of special treatment for Israel that undermines accountability for such abuses.

A looming U.S. decision on whether to block military aid to an IDF battalion in the West Bank over allegations of gross human rights violations is raising questions about the unit's conduct. The Leahy Law allows for 'remediation' if corrective steps are taken, but the current situation highlights serious concerns regarding the unit’s practices.

The U.S. government has postponed its plan to sanction an IDF battalion accused of human rights violations. The decision follows Israel’s submission of remedial information regarding the unit’s conduct, even as critics warn that the underlying issues of accountability and potential abusive practices remain unresolved.

At a University of Florida event on February 8, 2024, speakers detailed how the IDF actively produces and disseminates videos and social media content aimed at countering fabricated news and antisemitic narratives surrounding its military operations. This effort is presented as a deliberate strategy to control the media narrative and combat reports that may fuel extremist rhetoric.

Following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the IDF launched an aggressive and disproportionate military response in Gaza, which has led to serious allegations of war crimes and genocide. The incident also featured inflammatory rhetoric from Israel’s defense leadership, contributing to broader patterns of state violence and dehumanization.

The U.S. State Department report highlights concerns over systemic human rights abuses by Israel’s security forces, including arbitrary or unlawful killings and restrictions on Palestinians, implicating the IDF in these practices.

In August 2015, the Israel Defense Forces published their first formal defense doctrine, translated and annotated by the Belfer Center. The document sets out the IDF's approach to deterrence, defensive operations, and technological modernization as means to protect national security and uphold democratic legitimacy.