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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">'Not 10 red flags, but 100': IOF reserve soldiers 'already worn out'</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">March 27, 2026</div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warns that the Israeli army faces collapse due to a growing personnel crisis.</p><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
<a href="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/3/27/50472bba-0e22-42ad-a127-69eb10ea1776.jpg?width=1000" tabindex="0"><img src="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/3/27/50472bba-0e22-42ad-a127-69eb10ea1776.jpg?width=1000&preset=w750" alt="Mourners attend the funeral of Israeli soldier Staff Sgt. Ori Greenberg who was killed in combat in Lebanon, at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem Thursday, March 26, 2026 (AP)" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img"></a>
Israeli soldiers attend the funeral of Israeli soldier Staff
Sgt. Ori Greenberg, who was killed in Lebanon, at Mount Herzl military
cemetery in al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Thursday, March 26, 2026 (<em>AP</em>)
</li></div></ul>
<p>Senior officials in the Israeli military and security establishment <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/senior-official-warns-iof-faces-critical-personnel-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir for not taking</a> a stronger stance regarding the army\u2019s situation during a recent Security Cabinet discussion, Israeli media outlet <em>i24NEWS</em> reported on Friday.</p>
<p>A senior security official stated that \u201cthe battlefield has expanded,
and reserve forces are being depleted,\u201d noting that these concerns have
been discussed for some time, adding, \u201cThis isn\u2019t 10 warning signs, but
100. So why is everyone surprised?\u201d</p>
<p>Zamir warned during the Cabinet meeting on Thursday that the <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/irgc-launches-missiles--uavs-on-us-and-israeli-targets-in-ot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">army could collapse if the personnel crisis</a> is not addressed.</p>
<p>Commenting on the situation, Iran expert Benny Sabati from the
"Institute for National Security Studies" said, \u201cThe most dangerous
thing I see, <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-strikes-iof-gatherings--merkavas-and-settlements-o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whether regarding Iran or Hezbollah</a>,
is that ultimately they see us speaking with two voices: sometimes we
tell the Chief of Staff to support the government, mobilize, and carry
out missions, placing more burden on a decreasing number of soldiers,
and at other times, we attack him,\u201d adding that this approach \u201cserves
the enemy.\u201d</p>
<p>Sabati also emphasized that \u201c<a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-injuries-surge-to-5-772-as-iran--lebanon-attacks-esc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the government must choose its path</a>;
the person who appointed the Chief of Staff cannot now be the one
attacking him.\u201d During wartime, Israeli media noted, \u201cyou do not want
your enemy to hear that you are fragile or collapsing.\u201d</p>
<h2>'Israel' stretches itself thin</h2>
<p>In related developments, <em>Israel Hayom</em> military correspondent
Lielach Shoval reported that the Israeli army is facing a growing
personnel shortage while simultaneously being <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-hits-new-record-of-94-operations-against-israeli-o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tasked with increasing operational demands</a>. She questioned, \u201cWho do you think can carry this out? Who will do this? We need more personnel.\u201d</p>
<p>Shoval highlighted Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir\u2019s warning of a shortfall
of 15,000 soldiers, including 7,000 combat troops. She noted that
Israeli forces are currently deploying several military units into
Lebanese territory amid discussions of a so-called \u201cdefensive belt\u201d, a
softened term for a security cordon, without clarity on how long troops
will remain there.</p>
<p>While Israeli forces now <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iof-on-brink-of-collapse-in-face-of-manpower-shortage--zamir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">control nine positions inside Syria</a>,
troops are also stationed along the so-called \u201cYellow Line".
Additionally, a battalion initially designated for deployment to the
north was redirected to the West Bank, illustrating that \u201cfighting is
ongoing in the north, in the south, and everywhere,\u201d according to
Shoval.</p>
<h2>Readiness declining, fatigue evident</h2>
<p>Meanwhile, <em>i24NEWS</em> military correspondent Yinon Yetah
described Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir\u2019s warnings about the army\u2019s
personnel crisis as \u201can alarm before the storm," calling for immediate
caution and vigilance.</p>
<p>Yetah noted that over <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-launches-drone-strike-on-strategic-targets-at-haifa-por" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the past months of the war</a>,
Zamir has repeatedly requested additional reinforcements, \u201cat least
three permanent brigades each time\u201d, to various fronts, including the
"Yellow Line", the border with Jordan, the West Bank, and southern
Syria, alongside military maneuvers from south to north.</p>
<p>He added that four full military divisions, <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-targets-hakirya--atgms-haunt-israeli-merkavas-high" target="_blank" rel="noopener">representing the entirety of "Israel\u2019s" standing army</a>,
are currently deployed to the north, meaning that part of the force is
not undergoing training, readiness levels are declining, and fatigue is
clearly evident. The core problem, Yetah said, is that \u201cthe Israeli army
increasingly relies on reserve forces and personnel who are gradually
being exhausted, to the point of collapse.\u201d</p>
<p>Yetah stressed that \u201cthere is a need to extend mandatory service,
pass a new conscription law, and recruit more combat troops,\u201d noting
that the required legislation has not yet been enacted. He concluded,
\u201cWe do not have the capacity to secure all these fronts. Without
additional manpower, we are indeed heading toward a collapse.\u201d</p>
<p>Under current law, soldiers are set to be discharged after 30 months
of service, and alternatives, such as retaining them in permanent
service, are costly and impractical, <em>Israel Hayom\u2019s</em> Lielach Shoval reported.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, data from <em>Globes</em> journalist Naama Sikuler indicates that at any moment in the past year, roughly <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/wave-82--otp-4--irgc-hits-us-military-linked-sites-across-re" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30,000 soldiers were serving in the reserves</a>.
Sikuler noted that \u201chundreds of thousands risk losing jobs, income, or
ties to the labor market,\u201d stressing that the government must provide
support and incentives to maintain the reserve force.</p>
<h2>Israeli opposition seizes opportunity to incite against government</h2>
<p>Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned during a Security Cabinet
discussion that the army could collapse if the personnel crisis is not
resolved, according to <em>Kan</em> political correspondent.</p>
<p>Leaks from Zamir\u2019s warning have sparked a political shock within
"Israel", reopening debates over war management, fairness in sharing the
military burden, and the balance between coalition survival and
national security requirements.</p>
<p>The opposition quickly seized on the warning, framing it as a direct
indictment of the government. Opposition leader Yair Lapid held the
government responsible for ignoring the alert, warning that continued
exemptions and uneven distribution of service could lead to the army\u2019s
collapse.</p>
<p>Political and military figures, including Benny Gantz, Gadi Eizenkot,
Yair Golan, and Naftali Bennett, agreed that the crisis is no longer
merely technical or administrative but has become a strategic issue tied
to military readiness and national security.</p></div></div></div>
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