Eitan Ben Eliyahu

Aluf Eitan Ben Eliyahu (born 1944)Melman, Yossi and Javedanfar, Meir. The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran. Basic Books, 2008. ISBN 9780786721061 p. 187-188. is a major general in the Israel Defense Forces and was the Commander of the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

Biography

Eliyahu's father was born in Khorramshahr, Iran, and in 1922 immigrated to British-mandated Palestine; Eliyahu himself was born in Jerusalem in 1944. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War Eliyahu shot down two Egyptian fighters as he led of a squadron of F-4 Phantoms, and in 1981 he flew as fighter escort during Operation Opera, which resulted in the destruction of Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. On July 1, 1996 Eliyahu was promoted to Commander of the IAF.Aloni, Shlomo. Holmes, Tony. Israeli F-4 Phantom II Aces. Osprey Publishing, 2004. ISBN 9781841767833 p. 35 Over the course of his tenure Eliyahu focused on extending the range of IAF operations, especially with regard to Iran. As such, Eliyahu ordered 25 F-15I fighters, which had a longer range than Israel's previously purchased F-15s. Eliyahu stepped down as IAF commander on April 4, 2000.

Education

Eliyahu studied at Bar Ilan University, where he received a B.A. in economics and business administration. He also earned a graduate degree from Tel Aviv University in strategy and international relations and completed Harvard's Advanced Management Program.

References

Category: Living people Category: Israeli Air Force generals Category: 1944 births

he:איתן בן-אליהו