Who Is Major General Roman Gofman? Inside Israel’s Elite Spy Agency As Netanyahu Picks New Mossad Chief With No Intelligence Background

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just picked Major General Roman Gofman, his current military secretary, to lead Mossad, the country’s foreign intelligence agency. Gofman will take over from David Barnea, whose term ends next June.

Mossad gets a new chief 

Gofman’s never worked directly in intelligence, but Netanyahu’s office calls him a “highly distinguished officer” with top-notch professional skills.

They say he’s always worked closely with all of Israel’s intelligence and security agencies.

The Prime Minister’s Office pointed out that Gofman stepped in as military secretary right in the middle of the war and quickly made an impact across all seven war fronts. That, they say, shows just how capable he is.

They also credit him for playing a key role alongside Mossad during the ongoing war with Hamas. The statement praised his creativity, initiative, deep understanding of the enemy, and his ability to keep things confidential.

Netanyahu trusts him completely and believes Gofman is the best pick to lead Mossad.

Who is Roman Gofman? 

He was born in Belarus in 1976 and moved to Israel in 1990. Five years later, he joined the Israeli army’s armored corps and became a tank commander in the 188th Armoured Brigade. He’s led the 75th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade and became operations officer for the 36th Division in 2013.

After a stint in the West Bank in 2015, he returned to the 7th Brigade in 2017, and by 2020, he was in charge of the 210th ‘Bashan’ Regional Division.

After the October 7 attacks, Gofman was sent to the Gaza border, where he got injured in an attack. Right now, he’s serving as Netanyahu’s military secretary and, reportedly, the two are quite close. Gofman’s made his share of controversial statements in the past, but he still enjoys Netanyahu’s trust.

Inside Israel’s Elite Spy Agency

Mossad, officially called HaMossad leModi’in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim, or “Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations” is Israel’s main spy agency. People see it as one of the most skilled and secretive intelligence groups out there.

Mossad started on December 13, 1949. It works alongside Shin Bet (which handles security inside Israel) and Aman (that’s military intelligence), but Mossad’s job is different: it’s all about foreign intelligence, undercover missions, and fighting terrorism outside Israel.

Over the years, Mossad has built a reputation for gutsy, high-stakes missions that stretch across the globe. Its main focus is gathering information, running special operations, and protecting Jewish communities far from home.

While Mossad isn’t huge in terms of staff compared to bigger agencies, it makes up for it with a huge network of field agents, informants, and undercover operatives.

Some operations turned Mossad into legend. In 1960, agents tracked down and captured Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of the Holocaust, in Argentina and smuggled him back to Israel for trial.

After the Munich Olympics massacre in the 1970s, Mossad launched Operation Wrath of God, hunting down those linked to the attack. 

Mossad also gets tied to secret missions aimed at stalling nuclear programs seen as threats to Israel, especially in Iran. Israel rarely admits to these missions, but experts often credit Mossad with high-profile assassinations, sabotage, and cyberattacks like the infamous Stuxnet malware operation, often working with other agencies.

Mossad keeps its inner workings under tight wraps. What people do know is that the agency answers directly to the Israeli Prime Minister. Some of its main units include Caesarea (handling covert operations), Metzada (in charge of sabotage and special missions), and Tsomet (which recruits and manages field agents).

The agency is famous for pushing the boundaries of espionage using deep-cover identities, cutting-edge tech, and creative tactics that influence spy craft worldwide. Mossad teams up with other intelligence groups too, like the CIA, MI6, and European agencies, especially when it comes to shared threats.

Of course, Mossad isn’t without controversy. Critics often accuse it of assassinations and meddling in other countries. Still, Mossad sits at the heart of Israel’s security strategy and remains one of the world’s most powerful and closely watched spy agencies.

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