Israeli army chief warns reserve forces could 'collapse' amid manpower crisis

Israeli army chief of staff Eyal Zamir warned the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee on Monday that reserve forces risk collapse within months without urgent legislation extending mandatory military service to 36 months and expanding conscription, Israeli media reported. Zamir cited projected losses of thousands of combat soldiers in January 2027 when mandatory service reduces to 30 months, attributing the manpower crisis to nearly three years of sustained operations across multiple fronts.