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Israel has named Major General Roman Gofman, a senior military officer with no traditional intelligence experience, as the next director of Mossad, the country’s powerful foreign intelligence agency. The announcement came from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, confirming that Gofman will take over from current Mossad chief David Barnea when Barnea’s term ends in June 2026.

The decision immediately drew attention across Israel, largely because Gofman has built his reputation on the battlefield rather than in the shadows of intelligence work.

Netanyahu Picks An Outsider To Lead Mossad

Netanyahu’s office said the appointment marks a significant leadership shift within one of the world’s most respected spy agencies. According to Israeli media, the prime minister chose Gofman over two internal Mossad veterans recommended by Barnea himself, a move that surprised many inside the intelligence community.

Despite stepping into a role usually filled by career intelligence officials, Gofman’s selection did not spark the same political turmoil seen during the appointment of the new Shin Bet chief. Still, the decision wasn’t without criticism. Haaretz columnist Uri Misgav was among the few outspoken voices, arguing that Gofman is “unfit to head Mossad” due to his lack of intelligence background.

Who Is Roman Gofman?

Gofman’s personal story begins far from Israel’s security corridors. Born in Belarus in 1976, he immigrated to Israel at 14 and joined the Israel Defense Forces in 1995 as part of the armored corps. Over the decades, he rose steadily through the ranks.

When Hamas launched its unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack, Gofman was overseeing the national infantry training center. He was seriously wounded that same day during fierce fighting with Hamas militants in the southern city of Sderot, near the Gaza border. After recovering, he moved into Netanyahu’s inner circle in April 2024, serving as the prime minister’s military secretary.

His career path, shaped in combat rather than covert operations, sets him apart from most Mossad chiefs before him.

Mossad’s Standing After October 7

Unlike Shin Bet and Aman—the agencies responsible for domestic and military intelligence—Mossad avoided direct blame for the failure to detect Hamas’s attack. The Palestinian territories have traditionally been outside Mossad’s operational scope, a distinction that insulated the agency from the wave of resignations that followed the attack, including those of the Shin Bet and Aman chiefs.