Senior official warns IOF faces critical personnel shortage

A senior Israeli military officer warned Thursday of a critical personnel shortage in the army, emphasizing the urgent need for more soldiers in both regular service and the reserves, as well as reforms to reserve service laws, according to Israeli Channel 13.

The officer told the channel, “We have been issuing warnings for a long time about the gap in troop numbers. We need more soldiers, more forces, in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.”

He added that by January 2027, if the length of regular service is not reassessed to extend to three years (36 months) instead of 30, “this will create an intolerable difference.”

IOF on brink of collapse: Zamir
This closely follows warnings by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir during a cabinet session that the Israeli military could collapse if its ongoing personnel crisis is not addressed.

Sources from Kan 11 News reported that the Cabinet meeting also included approval for new settlements in the West Bank. The military’s workload continues to grow amid expanded operations in southern Lebanon and ongoing control over roughly half of the Gaza Strip, alongside the establishment of new settlements.

At the same time, the number of soldiers is not increasing and is actually declining, following the cancellation of extended active service for regular troops and an upcoming legal change reducing service duration to 30 months starting January.

Earlier this month, Israeli media reported plans to recruit 400,000 reservists by May. Zamir stressed the urgency of bolstering manpower, warning: “The army will collapse on itself if a solution is not found. I am raising many red flags.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett noted that the Chief of Staff has been calling for an additional 20,000 troops over the past two and a half years to defend “Israel”. Israeli Minister Ze’ev Elkin also acknowledged the strain, highlighting the army’s pressure amid multi-front operations, according to Channel 14.