[1] Ortal is also the founder and editor of the Israel Defense Force Dado Center journal named "Bein Ha-ktavim" (Hebrew: בין הקטבים, "In between the Poles").

He was drafted into the IDF Nahal Brigade in 1989, and served in southern Lebanon and the west Bank in the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps.

Ortal attended the IDF brigade commanders course in 2012, and the next year began studying in the Israel National Security College while also serving as a research fellow.

[5] Retired from the IDF at the end of 2023, Ortal advaices on strategy military and technolog, teaches at Raichman University and is a senior fellow[6] and participant in think tanks like BESA Israel and the Hoover Institution.

He is regarded as prominent self-critical voice within the IDF,[7] challenging core beliefs and methods at the operational and strategic levels within the organization.

[18] Ortal played a central role in strategic thought processes in the Military Intelligence Directorate (Ma’aseh Aman)[19] and in the Ground Forces (Land Ahead).

[20] Times of Israel's Lazar berman wrote that "The fact that Ortal and Yadai, both now generals, are in 2023 still calling in print for the change to occur is a sign that they still see plenty of reason to worry".

[21] Ortal has also been involved in digitization and turning the world of networks into a combat paradigm that takes advantage of the fourth industrial revolution.