Israeli Army to Cut Reserve Forces Due to Budget Shortfalls
The Israeli army has announced that it will reduce the number of its reserve forces in the West Bank and conflict zones due to budget cuts—a decision expected to increase the workload and fatigue among current troops.
According to the website Al-I’lam Al-Harbi, this reduction includes cutting reserve forces in defensive roles. Yoav Zitun, an Israeli journalist and analyst, wrote in the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth that the cuts are planned according to the cabinet’s guidelines for 2026.
The report states that the planned number of reserve soldiers for 2026 will decrease from 60,000 to 40,000, as part of budget reductions approved by the Israeli Ministries of Finance and Defense.
The army also indicated that in the coming days, the number of reserve forces in additional units, including combat unit headquarters and home front command, is expected to be cut. This reduction, which constitutes about one-third of the manpower, will require regular soldiers to be called up for longer service periods and have shorter leave times.
According to the report, despite the Gaza war ending nearly two and a half months ago, the mobilization of tens of thousands of reserve forces will continue, and emergency status restrictions will remain in place. This means that even with the reduction in numbers, all reserve forces must remain ready to serve in the army at all times.
