The Israeli occupation army faces morale, manpower and logistic crises, almost two years after the war in Gaza, a study by a Lebanese think tank found.
In a study released on Saturday, the Union Center for Research and Development cited the rising suicide rates among soldiers, eroding morale, as well as the widening trust gap between political leadership and the military forces.
At this stage, the human resources crisis emerges as one of the most serious weaknesses. The occupation army suffers from a severe shortage of conscripts and reserves, a decline in compliance with mobilization orders, and a reluctance among sectors such as the Haredim to enlist in the service, found the analysis on the occupation army’s situation during the period from August 1 to 20, 2025.
“This is accompanied by the erosion of logistical and material capabilities. Military equipment has suffered significant wear, while the capacity to replace or upgrade it at the required pace has sharply declined. In some cases, soldiers have even resorted to collecting donations to acquire basic gear—an indication of the profound field and structural depletion facing the armed forces.”
The study cited the rise in suicide rates among Israeli occupation soldiers (17 soldiers have committed suicide so far in 2025).
Meanwhile, disputes are escalating within the Zionist entity regarding the feasibility of continuing the war in Gaza. There have been public calls from former military and security leaders for an immediate end to military operations. Those who call for ending the war in Gaza believe that the field achievements have become a strategic and political burden, the Union Center for Research and Development said in the study.
Israel is facing a severe soldier shortage as alarming rates of suicide and PTSD, in addition to existing exemptions, gut its military ranks.
Tel Aviv is now looking at Jews overseas — in countries spanning the US to France — in a desperate bid to fill the gaps pic.twitter.com/GOEMdTUmZ1
— TRT World (@trtworld) August 20, 2025
Despite these profound challenges, the occupation army is pressing ahead with preparations for a large-scale ground operation to occupy Gaza City. The move underscores the political and military Israeli leadership’s intention to manufacture a symbolic victory and reclaim a battered deterrent image, according to the study.
“Yet, given the army’s deep attrition, such an operation carries grave risks: failure to secure clear and decisive gains would only hasten the erosion of its military capacity and expose the limits of its power,” the Union Center for Research and Development concluded the study.
Source: Union Center for Research and Development (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)
