A new directive would restrict IDF-issued devices to iPhones for lieutenant colonels, reducing the risk of intrusions for senior officers.

The Israel Defense Forces will tighten rules on mobile devices for senior officers and prohibit Android phones on IDF-issued lines, Army Radio reported on Wednesday.

Under the expected order, commanders from the rank of lieutenant colonel and above will be permitted to use only Apple iPhones for official communications. The step is aimed at reducing the risk of intrusions on senior officers’ handsets, according to the report.

Under the plan, the IDF would standardize operating systems at senior echelons to simplify security controls and updates. The IDF has not publicly detailed timelines or exceptions, and there was no immediate comment on whether the policy will cover personal devices used for work.

Why the IDF is acting now

Israeli security officials have long warned that hostile actors use social platforms and messaging apps to target soldiers’ phones and track troop movements. The IDF previously cautioned that Hamas used WhatsApp to solicit information from troops on the Gaza border, urging soldiers to report suspicious messages to commanders.

Military intelligence has also exposed repeated “honeypot” schemes in which operatives posed as women online to lure personnel into installing malware, most notably in Operation HeartBreaker. Analysts noted that such campaigns sought access to contacts, photos, and real-time location data on soldiers’ devices.

IDF staged scenarios mimicking Hezbollah-linked 'honeypots'

The new step follows earlier efforts to harden mobile use across the force, including training and internal drills designed to raise officers’ awareness of social-engineering tactics. In recent years, the IDF even staged scenarios mimicking Hezbollah-linked “honeypots” to stress-test units’ digital discipline.

Army Radio said the directive is expected to be issued in the coming days, with implementation applying to officers from lieutenant colonel up to the general staff. The reported move aligns with a broader push to curb inadvertent exposure from social media and ubiquitous messaging apps that can reveal patterns of life.

In 2019, the IDF warned troops that Hamas was using WhatsApp to gather data on IDF movement near Gaza and instructed soldiers to flag suspicious contacts to their chains of command.

ANNA AHRONHEIM, FELICE FRIEDSON/THE MEDIA LINE, and REUTERS contributed to this report.