IDF Manpower Shortage Triggers Security Alarm, Zamir Warns of Collapse
Israel’s Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir warned at a security cabinet meeting that the IDF could collapse if manpower shortages aren’t addressed, saying he’s raising 10 red flags. The report notes Israel would still need more soldiers in peacetime to guard borders in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank, and highlights the lack of a law to significantly boost ultra-Orthodox (haredi) conscription, fueling political backlash and calls to expand the IDF ranks from opposition parties and security figures.