An Israeli report revealed an unprecedented drain on the ranks of the Israeli army, with the average number of reserve soldiers reaching 53,000.
Alarming figures reveal the depletion of the Israeli army: 53,000 reserve soldiers and costs in the billions of shekels.
This comes amid warnings of dwindling manpower and running out of military equipment due to years of continuous fighting and its exorbitant costs, which threaten the future of combat readiness.
Israeli channel i24NEWS said the Israeli military establishment is facing increasing challenges in the aftermath of years of war, with the rising cost of military operations and continued pressure on permanent and reserve forces, at a time when warnings are emerging about the potential loss of a large number of experienced personnel.
The Hebrew channel added that data in a report by the Maariv newspaper indicates that Israel benefited during the last decade from American military aid amounting to about $33 billion, which contributed to building its military capabilities.
The current aid agreement is set to expire in 2028, and the Israeli government's decision to settle for half the size of the agreement that could have been pursued in the future has raised questions about Israel's ability to finance its military needs in the coming years.
She noted that the volume of use of forces and military equipment has increased significantly over the past three years, with the Israeli Air Force carrying out the equivalent of nine years of flying under normal operating conditions, while thousands of engines in tanks and troop carriers were consumed, along with huge quantities of ammunition.
The report also noted that 1,138 members of the Israeli army were killed and about 11,730 others were injured, either physically or psychologically, according to the figures recognized so far, with thousands more expected to join these numbers suffering from psychological effects.
The Israeli channel said that the long war period has had an impact on the family life of soldiers, as an army survey showed that the daily routine has changed in 75 percent of families, while only 10 percent said that the service of the husband or wife allows them to invest in their career.
Despite the decrease in tension levels compared to previous periods, the army still relies heavily on reserve forces, with an average of about 53,000 reserve soldiers serving.
The Hebrew channel added that Israeli forces are currently deployed on several fronts, including the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank, which places a continuous burden on manpower and military resources.
It is estimated that one month of reserve duty last year cost the army about 2.1 billion shekels, a cost roughly equivalent to the purchase of seven F-35 fighter jets or 70 Merkava tanks.
She noted that continued pressure on the military could lead to experienced personnel leaving permanent service, as some officers and soldiers who were offered prominent leadership positions began to prefer less stressful background jobs or even retirement.
In the Gaza Strip, five brigades are currently deployed on what is known as the Yellow Line, in addition to two reinforced brigades along the border, along with local defense units and mobilization teams that rely heavily on reserve soldiers. This necessitates an increasing need to reassess the size of the deployed forces in order to reduce expenses, preserve manpower, and prevent the exacerbation of the depletion accumulated during the years of war.
