IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir convened Israel’s senior military leadership on Sunday for a conference examining the lessons of the October 7 massacre, three years after the Hamas-led attack.

During the conference, Zamir presented a certificate of appreciation to Chief Warrant Officer “Vav,” a member of the IDF’s elite Unit 8200 who warned ahead of October 7, 2023, that Hamas had developed a clear plan to attack Israel. Her warnings were dismissed by senior intelligence officials at the time.

Zamir said the IDF is now concluding its investigations into the failures surrounding October 7, stressing that the military must turn the findings into concrete changes.

“We understand the magnitude of the disaster,” Zamir said, adding that the IDF cannot remain consumed by the investigations and must instead “learn, draw lessons, implement them and move forward.”

Among the central lessons, Zamir said, is the need to significantly expand Israel’s security margin and build a larger military capable of confronting threats simultaneously across multiple fronts.

“The size of the IDF is our strategic depth,” he said.

Zamir said the military is also reshaping its strategy around preparedness for a surprise war, including identifying and neutralizing serious threats while they are still developing.

The conference, held at the Glilot Base in central Israel, brought together officers ranked brigadier general and above from across the IDF’s branches, commands and directorates.

According to the military, the findings of the October 7 investigations were summarized during the conference, with commanders presenting both the primary lessons and the steps being taken to implement and monitor the necessary changes.

The gathering also marked the beginning of a broader investigation into Israel’s entire multi-front war, including the recent war with Iran. Separate teams will examine different aspects of the conflict, with Zamir expected to hold additional review meetings in the coming months.

The IDF said the broader lessons of the war will focus on four areas: strategic preparedness for surprise attacks, operational readiness for updated threat scenarios, force buildup across the military, and intelligence.