Israeli Army Radio's interviews with reserve soldiers and commanders have revealed that the Israeli military is facing a severe shortage of forces in its operations in Lebanon. According to the report, brigades and battalions are hollowed out, and the announced troop numbers do not reflect the actual strength on the ground.
The report noted that many Israeli tanks were destroyed or damaged in southern Lebanon, and that the number of soldiers called up was kept low due to a shortage of armored vehicles.
Manipulation of Troop Numbers
The report claimed that the Israeli military command called up fewer soldiers than needed, making participation rates appear high on paper. It emphasized that a significant portion of personnel listed as active in official records could not remain in the field for long due to burnout and personal issues, deepening the manpower gap in the units.
An Israeli commander stated that the reserve units are hollowed out, saying, "There is no full battalion or real company. The public and decision-makers hear about brigades at full capacity in Lebanon, but on the ground there is a much smaller military force. Far fewer soldiers, far fewer tanks and armored vehicles."
The commander added, "Some parts of the reserve military system are effectively at a breaking point. There are units in better or worse shape, everyone is doing their best, but it is very difficult to continue like this."
Breakdown in the Chain of Command
The report stated that losses in the attacks on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, along with a lack of qualified personnel, have rendered the chain of command in the Israeli military dysfunctional. It reported that in a reserve company in southern Lebanon, after the commander was dismissed and with no deputy commanders, only a single regular officer remained in the entire company.
The report recorded that rankless soldiers had to be appointed to command the company, and the company was managed in a manner far from military professionalism.
Elite Commandos Refuse Duty
The report revealed that elite commando teams who had participated in Israel's months-long attacks and had just completed their compulsory military service, joining the reserve units within the 551st Brigade, applied to their commanders and refused to serve. It stated that the young soldiers, suffering from psychological and physical difficulties as well as disruptions to their university education, were removed one by one from the personnel list with their commanders' approval.
