Israeli army chief warns of potential collapse amid personnel shortage

Israel’s army chief warned that the military could face internal collapse if the government fails to address a growing manpower shortage, media reports said. Speaking during a security Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said: “I am raising 10 red flags before the IDF collapses into itself,” according to The Jerusalem Post. Military sources expressed “tremendous concern” over the shortage, particularly amid the ongoing war, noting that even in peacetime, more troops would be required across multiple fronts, including Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank. Officials warned that without additional personnel, “there will be places with big gaps” in operational coverage. The shortage has been partly attributed to the absence of legislation significantly expanding conscription among the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) population. A proposed draft law aimed at increasing haredi enlistment was “set aside” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for unity during the war. Opposition figures sharply criticised the government following Zamir’s remarks, warning of broader security risks. Members of the Yesh Atid Party described the stalled conscription effort as “a security danger”, adding that “it is no longer possible to ignore this.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid said: “In the next disaster, the government won’t be able to say ‘We didn’t know.’” Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman called for universal conscription, while former prime minister Naftali Bennett asked: “What are you waiting for, for heaven’s sake?” Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot stated that mandatory service for all “is the need of the hour”, while other political figures warned that reliance on reservists was reaching unsustainable levels.