Yair Golan is a major general in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). General Golan served as the IDF deputy chief of staff. In an IDF career spanning nearly 37 years, his assignments have included commander of Northern Command, head of the IDF Operations Directorate, commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, and commander of the Home Front Command. 

He received his bachelor of arts in political science from Tel Aviv University and a master of public administration from Harvard University. Additionally, he is a graduate of both the IDF's Command and Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. In 2017, he served as Military Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.