Report: Israeli army not prepared for multi-front war without budget increase
Israeli military officials have warned that they are still not prepared to enter a multi-front war without an urgent budget increase to rebuild their forces and compensate for weapons shortages, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
The officials said the shortages and the multi-front threats from Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Turkey, which is again active in Syria, require an immediate reinforcement of forces, while the finance ministry is refusing to provide the funds.
The newspaper added that the Israeli military initially planned, after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, for a war lasting about one month, with the possibility of extending it for two weeks, based on a scenario involving two fronts: Hezbollah in the north as the primary front, and Hamas in Gaza as a secondary front.
Consequently, the war stretched across eight fronts, forcing Israel to rely on more than 900 cargo planes and 150 supply ships --mostly from the United States -- to replenish essential equipment. Even this proved insufficient, given the shortage of many weapons, the report said.
Israeli military officials pointed to years of ongoing cuts to the defense budget, exacerbated by what they describe as irresponsible campaigns by the finance ministry. Now, they warn, Israel faces a repeat of those mistakes.
Finance ministry officials continue to resist transferring the funds needed to build up forces and expand production, despite lessons learned since the Hamas attack, the report said.
Military commanders say they are unable to publicly detail the army’s precise needs or equipment shortages for fear of exposing vulnerabilities to adversaries.
Senior officers emphasize the need to shift from rearmament to long-term manufacturing, including precision munitions, helicopters, tanks and armored vehicles.
“We need to move to the force buildup phase -- acquiring advanced systems, smart bombs, and air defense interceptor systems,” says an official. “Enemy missiles may cost $400,000, but each Arrow 3 interceptor missile costs $3 million and takes months to produce.”
Beyond Gaza and Lebanon, a new Israeli concern is emerging: Turkey’s growing influence in Syria and its growing “hostility” under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Israeli military officials.
A government committee on national security warned that Israel could soon face a renewed threat from forces backed by Ankara, especially if Turkish-backed militias gain a foothold near Israel's northern border.
A senior official summarized the new scenario, saying: "Peace has not yet been achieved. Iran is a wounded enemy undergoing a rapid recovery, the ceasefire in Gaza is fragile, Lebanon is experiencing daily attacks, Turkey is monitoring Syria, the eastern border is exposed, and the West Bank is seething."
Senior Israeli army commanders concluded: "We are facing a fundamental shift in the Middle East. The additional funds we have received are not enough at all. The lessons of October 7 are not limited to that night alone; they reflect years of strategic miscalculation, and we must never return to that mindset."
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/316067 |