The Israeli military is facing a crisis within its reserve forces and is in a state of “de facto collapse,” with occupying brigades and battalions in Lebanon operating far below full capacity and strength, Israeli Army Radio reported on 14 July.

Army Radio correspondent Doron Kadosh made the revelations in a post on Tuesday, citing sources as saying that conscription turnout rates are “a bluff,” and that “there aren’t enough tanks.”

Kadosh said armored reserve companies that previously operated with 10 to 12 tank crews are now functioning with significantly fewer operational tanks, due to battlefield losses and damaged equipment requiring lengthy repairs – caused by Hezbollah resistance fighters.

Because of the shortages, the army reportedly summons fewer reservists from the outset, artificially inflating mobilization rates, while many of those counted as reporting for duty serve only part of their deployments.

“Reserve units today are hollow,” a reserve commander is cited as saying in Kadosh’s report.

The military source adds that “a battalion is not a full battalion, and a company is not truly a company.”

“The public and decision-makers hear about entire brigades operating in Lebanon, but in reality, the force is much smaller – far fewer soldiers, far fewer tanks, and far fewer vehicles. Parts of the reserve system are already, de facto, in a state of collapse,” the source went on to say.

The reserve commander told Army Radio that some units are “in better shape” than others, but that they are all “doing the maximum they can.”

The commander also says this is “a situation that is becoming impossible to sustain.”

The report cited several examples, including a reserve company that recently completed operations in Lebanon, with only one officer remaining in the entire company.

This forced enlisted soldiers to fill command roles normally held by officers.

Another reserve battalion in the occupied West Bank reportedly saw only two of its companies report for duty, requiring reinforcements from another reserve unit to fill operational gaps.

Kadosh also reported that an entire team of young commandos recently transferred to the reserves after completing active service informed commanders they could no longer continue serving due to “exhaustion” and academic pressures.

As a result, commanders have been approving the release of soldiers from reserve duty.

Kadosh explained that “even units where turnout percentages are 50–70 percent are in fact operating with a much larger personnel shortage at any given time.”

A reservist source told Army Radio that “There aren’t enough tanks and the turnout percentages don’t reflect reality. It’s a bluff.”

Prolonged deployments since 7 October 2023 have placed severe strain on manpower, equipment, and command structures across Israel’s reserve forces.

The years that followed 7 October have seen significant internal tensions in Israel, as Tel Aviv has been unable to reach a consensus on a law for drafting tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israeli Jews (Haredim) into the army.

Haredim, mainly those studying the Torah, have been largely exempt from military service for decades. In June 2024, the Israeli High Court ordered that they be drafted, following significant tension on the matter.

Ultra-Orthodox parties, which make up a significant bulk of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, have sought to make sure exemptions remain legal – while the opposition accused the Haredim of not doing their part or sharing the burden with the army.

The government has been unable to pass a law that would appease both the Haredi parties and the opposition.

The growing manpower crisis has worsened since Israeli troops invaded south Lebanon and expanded their occupation of the country in early March. Over 30 Israeli soldiers have been killed by the Lebanese resistance since then.

“The reserve army will collapse in on itself. There will be an unreasonable burden on the reservists. If nothing changes, the reservists will not be able to withstand this pressure in the years to come,” Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said in May.

Scores of tanks, military vehicles, detection systems, radars, Iron Dome platforms, and other Israeli military assets have been destroyed by Hezbollah’s FPV drone campaign that has caught Tel Aviv off guard since the latest round of fighting began in March.

Israeli troops have occupied scores of Lebanese villages with the aim of creating a so-called security zone free of “threats.”

Hezbollah resistance fighters remain entrenched across Israel’s “security zone” despite months of occupation and bombing.

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Via https://thecradle.co/articles/israeli-army-units-face-de-facto-collapse-amid-critical-manpower-crisis-report