The Israeli occupation military is undertaking a sweeping reorganization of its personnel system to avert a systemic breakdown, as it grapples with a critical shortfall of approximately 12,000 soldiers including some 7,500 combat troops amid escalating operational demands across multiple fronts, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot.
Citing military sources, the paper revealed that since the watershed events of October 7, 2023, the combat force has expanded dramatically in both regular and reserve echelons, with a marked increase in the number of battalions, brigades, and regional formations. Troops have been redeployed in heavier concentrations along border zones and forward lines, stretching existing manpower to its limits.
Yet, as the newspaper noted, a stark paradox lies at the heart of this buildup: the force is growing even as acknowledged shortages persist. The envisaged solution hinges on a radical recalibration of human-resource strategy funneling more conscripts into combat billets, vastly enlarging the reserve pool, and adopting new protocols for managing thousands of battle-weary soldiers who have already exited service.
The reserve contingent has swelled by roughly 36%, with over 100,000 personnel returning through cancellations of exemptions, volunteer drives, recall orders, and other emergency measures. That influx has enabled the formation of new units, including the Gilad Division and several additional brigades and battalions. However, Yediot Aharonot emphasized that the gains have come at a steep cost: many reservists have logged up to 600 days of active duty in under three years, exacting a heavy toll on their family lives, economic stability, academic pursuits, and psychological health.
In an effort to ease the burden on exhausted reserves, the army has initiated the establishment of two new regular battalions within the Golani and Nahal Brigades during the current draft cycle. Each such regular battalion, the report explained, is designed to support approximately seven reserve battalions operationally.
Turning to the contentious issue of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) conscription, the newspaper projected that the number of Haredi recruits this year would climb from around 2,800 to 4,300. Still, only about 900 of those are expected to serve in combat roles, with the majority assigned to technological and support functions.
Meanwhile, pre-enlistment psychological exemptions have declined from roughly 10,000 in 2023 to 8,200 in 2025—a sign of tightened screening criteria. Yet paradoxically, the number of regular-service soldiers discharged mid-service due to “unsuitability” has risen to approximately 8,000 annually, a figure military planners attribute to mounting attrition under sustained operational tempo.
With no de-escalation in sight across Israel’s northern and southern arenas, the army’s manpower crisis underscores a widening gap between strategic ambition and human capacity—a challenge that defense officials acknowledge will demand not only policy shifts, but also fundamental changes in how the nation sustains its fighting forces over the long haul.
Source: Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)