Israeli army approaches capacity limit due to increasing personnel shortage
Israeli Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir announced in his presentation to the security cabinet that the army cannot maintain the current operational burden. The increasing need for personnel, the burden on the reserve forces and the military regulations that cannot be solved at the political level are challenging the capacity of the army.
According to the news in the Israeli press, Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir said in the evaluation he made in the security cabinet that the army has reached the limit of the current operational load carrying capacity. Zamir stated that the army operates on more than one front at the same time; He stated that the need for personnel is increasing and the current situation is causing problems in terms of sustainability.
According to the reports, Zamir stated that the army is facing a serious manpower crisis because the government did not establish the legal framework for the conscription of the Haredi, did not reorganize the reserve service system and did not take steps to extend the mandatory military service period.
According to the Israeli media, Zamir said at the cabinet meeting, "The spare system will not be able to carry this load, I am lifting 10 red flags." Zamir warned that if the current trend continues, the army may have difficulty not only in war missions but also in routine security activities.
Personnel shortage is growing, lack of legal regulation continues
According to reports, one of the main problems facing the Israeli army is the shortage of thousands of personnel. Army Spokesperson Efi Defrin announced that a total of 15 thousand soldiers were needed, 8 thousand of which were in combat units.
According to the applicable legislation in Israel, the mandatory military service period is expected to be reduced to 30 months in January 2027. The army, on the other hand, demands that this period be extended to three years again.
However, it is stated that the government has not made a comprehensive legal regulation on both the mandatory military service period and the procurement of new soldiers, especially due to the political sensitivity of the Haredi from military exemption.
According to the evaluations in the Israeli press, this situation results in the army's inability to expand its human resources while the operational need in the field is increasing. This picture leads to the constant keeping of the reserve forces on the ground.
According to the news of Israeli state television KAN, after Zamir's evaluation, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that the compulsory military service arrangement and the extension of the military service period will be considered again after the Passover Day, which is considered sacred for Jews.
Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fox also assured Zamir that the mandatory military service arrangement and the extension of the service period after the Passover Day would be brought to the agenda together.
Security burden in the West Bank increases pressure on the army
According to the Israeli press, Zamir brought not only his operations on the external fronts, but also the security burden in the West Bank to the agenda at the meeting. It was stated that the increasing illegal settler violence and the security tension in the region have put additional pressure on the army.
According to the news, the army sent additional troops to the West Bank due to these developments. Security circles consider that more military presence may be needed in the region in the face of the current picture.
In the same period, it is stated that the steps towards the legalization of some new illegal settlements were warned that they were incompatible with the army's existing manpower capacity and could further increase the military burden.