Senior Source Warns: Critical Manpower Crisis Hits ’Israeli’ Forces

By staff, Agencies

A senior "Israeli" military officer warned Thursday that the "Israeli" Occupation Forces [IOF] faces a critical manpower crisis, urgently needing more personnel in both regular and reserve ranks, along with reforms to conscription laws, as operational pressures mount, as per "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.”

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 IOF’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 forces 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 IOF’s pressure amid multi-front operations, according to Channel 14.