Barbara Opall-Rome

Opall-Rome is Israel bureau chief for Defense News. She has been covering U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation, Mideast security and missile defense since May 1988. She lives north of Tel Aviv. Visit her website at www.opall-rome.com.


  • Israel To Stand Up Commando Brigade
    Israel To Stand Up Commando Brigade

    Israel’s High Command announced Monday the establishment of a new commando brigade to fall under the command of the 98th Paratrooper’s Division.

  • Israel Navy To Upgrade Combat Surface Fleet
    Israel Navy To Upgrade Combat Surface Fleet

    The Israel Navy is upgrading its entire combat surface fleet with new German-built, Israeli-equipped Sa’ar-6 corvettes and the integration of new radars and electronic warfare (EW) systems in existing Sa’ar-5 and Sa’ar 4.5 ships.

  • Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target
    Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target

    Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon confirmed Wednesday that Israel was the target of cyber attacks by Iran during last summer’s Gaza war and by Hezbollah, which reportedly ran an operation going back three years.

  • Wargame Shows Cyber Threat to Iran Deal
    Wargame Shows Cyber Threat to Iran Deal

    An international war game played out here on Monday showed how a single cyber attack aimed at discrediting Iran could ultimately derail an impending nuclear deal between the world powers and Tehran.

  • UN Gaza War Report Skewers Israel on Targeting
    UN Gaza War Report Skewers Israel on Targeting

    TEL AVIV — Findings released Monday from a UN Commission of Inquiry into the 2014 Gaza conflict blamed Israel for the bulk of what it condemned as indiscriminate and potentially illegal acts committed by both sides in last summer’s 51-day war.

  • Israel To Consolidate Cyber Spending, Ops
    Israel To Consolidate Cyber Spending, Ops

    TEL AVIV — The Israeli military aims to consolidate cyber-related investment, training and planning for defensive and offensive operations under a unified Cyber Command to be stood up within two years.

  • Israel Goes on Offensive Against Boycotts
    Israel Goes on Offensive Against Boycotts

    Israeli defense companies led by Elbit Systems are girding for global protests of their products, trade partners and subsidiaries as their government wages a high-profile pushback against the anti-occupation movement and its threat of economic sanctions.

  • Israel Mulls Revamp of Special Ops Forces
    Israel Mulls Revamp of Special Ops Forces

    TEL AVIV — Israel’s high command aims to sharpen the point of its spear with a potentially sweeping conceptual and operational revamp of its special forces for pre-emptive as well as rapid response operations near and far beyond its borders.

  • Israel Preempts UN Inquiry With Detailed Account of 2014 Gaza War
    Israel Preempts UN Inquiry With Detailed Account of 2014 Gaza War

    The government of Israel on Sunday published a detailed report on last summer’s Gaza war aimed at mitigating condemnation likely to come in UN debate during the international organization’s own commission of inquiry scheduled for the end of the month.

  • Israel Military Awaits OK of Multiyear Plan
    Israel Military Awaits OK of Multiyear Plan

    Israel’s security situation going into annual defense budget debates is extraordinarily good, and the military’s proposed multiyear spending plan

  • Israel To Stand Up Commando Brigade
    Israel To Stand Up Commando Brigade

    Israel’s High Command announced Monday the establishment of a new commando brigade to fall under the command of the 98th Paratrooper’s Division.

  • Israel Navy To Upgrade Combat Surface Fleet
    Israel Navy To Upgrade Combat Surface Fleet

    The Israel Navy is upgrading its entire combat surface fleet with new German-built, Israeli-equipped Sa’ar-6 corvettes and the integration of new radars and electronic warfare (EW) systems in existing Sa’ar-5 and Sa’ar 4.5 ships.

  • Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target
    Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target

    Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon confirmed Wednesday that Israel was the target of cyber attacks by Iran during last summer’s Gaza war and by Hezbollah, which reportedly ran an operation going back three years.

  • Wargame Shows Cyber Threat to Iran Deal
    Wargame Shows Cyber Threat to Iran Deal

    An international war game played out here on Monday showed how a single cyber attack aimed at discrediting Iran could ultimately derail an impending nuclear deal between the world powers and Tehran.

  • UN Gaza War Report Skewers Israel on Targeting
    UN Gaza War Report Skewers Israel on Targeting

    TEL AVIV — Findings released Monday from a UN Commission of Inquiry into the 2014 Gaza conflict blamed Israel for the bulk of what it condemned as indiscriminate and potentially illegal acts committed by both sides in last summer’s 51-day war.

  • Israel To Consolidate Cyber Spending, Ops
    Israel To Consolidate Cyber Spending, Ops

    TEL AVIV — The Israeli military aims to consolidate cyber-related investment, training and planning for defensive and offensive operations under a unified Cyber Command to be stood up within two years.

  • Israel Goes on Offensive Against Boycotts
    Israel Goes on Offensive Against Boycotts

    Israeli defense companies led by Elbit Systems are girding for global protests of their products, trade partners and subsidiaries as their government wages a high-profile pushback against the anti-occupation movement and its threat of economic sanctions.

  • Israel Mulls Revamp of Special Ops Forces
    Israel Mulls Revamp of Special Ops Forces

    TEL AVIV — Israel’s high command aims to sharpen the point of its spear with a potentially sweeping conceptual and operational revamp of its special forces for pre-emptive as well as rapid response operations near and far beyond its borders.

  • Israel Preempts UN Inquiry With Detailed Account of 2014 Gaza War
    Israel Preempts UN Inquiry With Detailed Account of 2014 Gaza War

    The government of Israel on Sunday published a detailed report on last summer’s Gaza war aimed at mitigating condemnation likely to come in UN debate during the international organization’s own commission of inquiry scheduled for the end of the month.

  • Israel Military Awaits OK of Multiyear Plan
    Israel Military Awaits OK of Multiyear Plan

    Israel’s security situation going into annual defense budget debates is extraordinarily good, and the military’s proposed multiyear spending plan

  • Israel To Stand Up Commando Brigade
    Israel To Stand Up Commando Brigade

    Israel’s High Command announced Monday the establishment of a new commando brigade to fall under the command of the 98th Paratrooper’s Division.

  • Israel Navy To Upgrade Combat Surface Fleet
    Israel Navy To Upgrade Combat Surface Fleet

    The Israel Navy is upgrading its entire combat surface fleet with new German-built, Israeli-equipped Sa’ar-6 corvettes and the integration of new radars and electronic warfare (EW) systems in existing Sa’ar-5 and Sa’ar 4.5 ships.

  • Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target
    Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target

    Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon confirmed Wednesday that Israel was the target of cyber attacks by Iran during last summer’s Gaza war and by Hezbollah, which reportedly ran an operation going back three years.

  • Wargame Shows Cyber Threat to Iran Deal
    Wargame Shows Cyber Threat to Iran Deal

    An international war game played out here on Monday showed how a single cyber attack aimed at discrediting Iran could ultimately derail an impending nuclear deal between the world powers and Tehran.

  • UN Gaza War Report Skewers Israel on Targeting
    UN Gaza War Report Skewers Israel on Targeting

    TEL AVIV — Findings released Monday from a UN Commission of Inquiry into the 2014 Gaza conflict blamed Israel for the bulk of what it condemned as indiscriminate and potentially illegal acts committed by both sides in last summer’s 51-day war.

  • Israel To Consolidate Cyber Spending, Ops
    Israel To Consolidate Cyber Spending, Ops

    TEL AVIV — The Israeli military aims to consolidate cyber-related investment, training and planning for defensive and offensive operations under a unified Cyber Command to be stood up within two years.

  • Israel Goes on Offensive Against Boycotts
    Israel Goes on Offensive Against Boycotts

    Israeli defense companies led by Elbit Systems are girding for global protests of their products, trade partners and subsidiaries as their government wages a high-profile pushback against the anti-occupation movement and its threat of economic sanctions.

  • Israel Mulls Revamp of Special Ops Forces
    Israel Mulls Revamp of Special Ops Forces

    TEL AVIV — Israel’s high command aims to sharpen the point of its spear with a potentially sweeping conceptual and operational revamp of its special forces for pre-emptive as well as rapid response operations near and far beyond its borders.

  • Israel Preempts UN Inquiry With Detailed Account of 2014 Gaza War
    Israel Preempts UN Inquiry With Detailed Account of 2014 Gaza War

    The government of Israel on Sunday published a detailed report on last summer’s Gaza war aimed at mitigating condemnation likely to come in UN debate during the international organization’s own commission of inquiry scheduled for the end of the month.

  • Israel Military Awaits OK of Multiyear Plan
    Israel Military Awaits OK of Multiyear Plan

    Israel’s security situation going into annual defense budget debates is extraordinarily good, and the military’s proposed multiyear spending plan