Ansarollah Website – Reports
The Israeli military is facing a severe defense budget deficit estimated at approximately 40 billion shekels, forcing it to begin discharging reservists who had already been called up for operational duty, alongside a freeze on career soldier recruitment.
According to a report by Israel Hayom, commanders of a reserve battalion on the northern front were informed that about 20% of reporting personnel must be discharged due to a lack of funds, despite a battalion turnout rate of roughly 90%.
Reserve officers expressed concern that the sudden decision could undermine troops' future motivation to report for duty. They noted that some soldiers had already arranged leaves of absence from their workplaces for up to 110 days and secured temporary replacements, only to be abruptly told to return home.
Officers also criticized the move, arguing that cutting personnel from combat units after hundreds of days of deployment damages unit morale and erodes trust between soldiers and the military establishment. According to the report, defense officials blame the Ministry of Finance for delays in releasing required funds.
The report quoted a defense source stating that the military currently cannot purchase even a single piece of ammunition for the air force, navy, or ground forces—including air defense interceptor missiles—while maintenance operations to keep military equipment operational have ground to a halt. The newspaper added that recruitment for career military service has also been suspended due to the financial crisis.
