Ministry of Defense (Israel)
The Ministry of Defense (Hebrew: משרד הביטחון, romanized: Misrad HaBitahon, lit. 'Ministry of Security', acronym: Hebrew: משהב"ט) of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Israel from internal and external military threats. Its political head is the Defense Minister of Israel, and its offices are located in HaKirya, Tel Aviv.
| משרד הביטחון | |
Ministry of Defense headquarters | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1948 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Israel |
| Headquarters | Matcal Tower, HaKirya, Tel Aviv 32°4′30.97″N 34°47′24.55″E |
| Annual budget | 56 billion New Shekel |
| Minister responsible |
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| Website | www |
The Ministry of Defense oversees most of the Israeli security forces, including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Military Industries (IMI), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The ministry was established when the British Mandate of Palestine ended, and the British Army departed Palestine and the State of Israel was formed. This ended the rag-tag militia units during British rule and gave way to the formal defense of the Jewish state.