Major Ella Waweya will replace Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, who for people in Gaza and Lebanon is indelibly linked with Israel's deadly bombing campaigns and known for what are seen as provocative uses of colloquial Arabic, koranic verses and humour in his messages.

Waweya, 36, was born in Qalansawe, an Arab city in central Israel, and volunteered with the Israeli army at 24. As a deputy to Adraee, she was previously known online as "Captain Ella", the source said.

"As a child, she watched Arab media, and out of curiosity discovered the Israeli and Zionist narrative", the source said.

Around 20 percent of Israel's population are Palestinians or their descendants who remained in what is now Israel after its creation in 1948.

"She currently serves as the most senior Muslim female officer in the IDF (military)," the source said, adding Waweya would soon be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Adraee is known to the Arabic-speaking world through videos shared on military social media channels in which he gave details of ongoing Israeli military operations.

Many Lebanese have notifications activated for his social media posts, knowing that they often presage Israeli strikes.

His videos gained prominence after the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, followed by the start of hostilities between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel.

During both wars, and still in Gaza, Adraee issued official military evacuation warnings addressed to local populations ahead of Israeli air strikes in their areas.

Adraee, who is Jewish, was born in the mixed Arab-Jewish Israeli city of Haifa, and was on occasion mocked by Arab world celebrities for his accent in Arabic.