Roman Gofman is an Israeli military and intelligence officer who assumed the directorship of Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, as of June 2026. Born in Belarus, Gofman immigrated to Israel with his family at the age of 14 and has spent the majority of his career within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He has held various positions within the Armored Corps Command, serving for many years in field command, operational planning, and regional security roles.

Gofman has served approximately thirty years in the Israel Defense Forces, holding command positions in multiple units, particularly in operations and border security activities along the northern front. At one point, he commanded the 210th "Bashan" Regional Division responsible for the Golan Heights. Throughout his military career, he has gained extensive experience in operational planning and field management.

During the clashes that occurred on October 7, 2023, following Hamas’s attacks on Israel, Gofman was seriously wounded. After completing his recovery, he returned to active duty. He was subsequently appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his military secretary, playing a role in shaping Israel’s security policies. In this capacity, he coordinated on security and military matters concerning Iran, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and Syria. Due to his proficiency in Russian, he also participated in Israel’s contacts with Russia.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Roman Gofman for the position of Mossad Director in December 2025. This selection drew attention because Mossad has traditionally been led by individuals promoted from within the agency. Until his appointment, Gofman served as Netanyahu’s military secretary.

The appointment process became the subject of legal controversy due to a psychological operation and influence campaign conducted in 2022. Public debate arose over allegations that a unit under Gofman’s command had enlisted a minor social media user. The matter was brought before the Israeli judiciary. In June 2026, the Israeli Supreme Court reviewed the case and rejected all objections to the appointment, removing the legal barriers to Gofman assuming office. While the court noted certain procedural shortcomings, it concluded that Gofman did not deliberately mislead investigations nor commit an ethical violation serious enough to prevent his appointment.

Roman Gofman assumed the directorship of Mossad on June 2, 2026, in a ceremony during which he succeeded David Barnea. He became the 14th director since the agency’s founding. Upon taking office, he stated that Israel’s activities against Iran and Iran-backed regional actors would remain among Mossad’s top priorities.

In his inaugural address, Gofman noted that Israel’s recent operations against Iran and its allies had altered regional power dynamics, but emphasized that this process was far from complete. He underscored that one of Mossad’s core missions is to safeguard Israel’s national security through covert operations and intelligence activities.