Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Israel's Military Faces Budget and Troop Shortages Amid War
Israel is fighting a war on several fronts.
Its military says it does not have enough money for all of its current operations.
The army says this lack of funds is making it harder to stay ready.
Reports say the funding gap could be about 40 billion shekels.
Some planned purchases, including fighter jets and ammunition, have been affected.
The military also does not have enough full-time soldiers.
Many reservists are tired after serving during the war and some have not reported for duty.
The army expects the troop shortage to become larger when mandatory service is shortened in 2027.
Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said an IDF budget shortage is harming military readiness.
Israel's Defense and Finance ministries are disputing additional military funding.
Israeli media reported a shortfall of about 40 billion shekels, or $12.3 billion.
The funding problems have affected planned purchases of fighter jets and munitions.
The IDF is reportedly short about 12,000 standing soldiers as exhausted reservists miss summonses.
- Who
- The Israel Defense Forces, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Israeli reservists, and Israel's Defense and Finance ministries.
- What
- The IDF is facing a reported budget shortfall and a shortage of standing soldiers, putting pressure on military readiness and procurement.
- When
- Zamir made the budget comments on Thursday, August 27; reports about reservist absences were cited from May, and the troop shortage is expected to widen in early 2027.
- Where
- Israel and the IDF's multiple operational fronts.
- Why
- Continued war operations and reserve-duty costs have increased spending, while exhausted reservists are failing to report for some summonses.
- Reported budget shortfall
- About 40 billion shekels, equivalent to approximately $12.3 billion.
- Israel's 2026 defense budget
- About 143 billion shekels, including funding for military operations.
- Standing-soldier shortage
- The IDF has warned that it is short about 12,000 standing army soldiers.
- Affected procurement
- Planned acquisitions of fighter jets and munitions have been impacted.
- Reserve-duty pressure
- Hundreds of reservists have reportedly ignored summonses for duty.
- Expected future pressure
- The standing-army shortage is expected to widen when mandatory service is shortened at the beginning of 2027.
- Funding dispute
- Israel's Defense and Finance ministries are locked in a dispute over additional military funding.