Israeli military faces massive manpower shortage

New data has exposed a massive manpower crisis within the Israeli military, after more than two years of assault on the Gaza Strip, according to Hebrew media.

The “crisis” was described as the most severe since the 1980s, according to Channel 12.

According to the data, the Israeli military is currently short of approximately 1,300 officers in the ranks of lieutenant to captain across various units, with efforts to fill these positions failing.

There is also a deficit of 300 officers with the rank of major.

The numbers were presented to the Israeli military chief and political leaders, raising alarms on Israel’s security and the “unprecedented burden on the reserve system”.

It also comes amid ongoing debates in Israel’s Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over a proposed exemptions from military conscription law,

Morale and willingness to continue service have also plummeted, the report added, with only 63% non-commissioned officers (NCOs) willing to continue service, down from 83% in 2018.

For officers, the number stands at 37%, down from 58% over the same period.

Families of Israeli soldiers have also been “very harmed” by the constant war waging, with the report adding that there is a 20% increase in divorce rates among Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli government has approved 280,000 reserve call-up orders for the coming year, with the potential for full utilization.

As a result, each reservist could face 60 to 70 days of duty in 2026, a figure that could rise if security threats of more wars were started.

Channel 12, citing ‘Israeli’ army sources, added that 30% of permanent and reserve personnel may fail to report for duty next year, “severely hampering operational readiness.”