Israeli Army Chief Warns Forces on Verge of Collapse Amid Iran War

Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir issued an urgent warning to the war cabinet late Tuesday, declaring that the armed forces are on the verge of internal collapse and raising what he described as “ten red flags” over its current condition, according to Hebrew media.

Channel 13 reported that Zamir, speaking at a high-level meeting attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, heads of agencies, and cabinet ministers, painted a grim picture of the military’s internal stability.

He cautioned that the armed forces are under unprecedented strain and that without immediate legislative action, their operational capacity could be severely compromised. Central to his concerns were critical gaps in military personnel policies.

Zamir emphasized that the military urgently needs a new service law, a reformed reserve forces framework, and an extension of mandatory service obligations. He warned that reserve forces, in particular, cannot sustain their current level of service under existing arrangements.

The remarks represent a rare acknowledgment of deep-seated challenges within the ranks, including fatigue among reserve troops and structural manpower shortfalls.

This extraordinary admission came during a closed-door session of the war cabinet, convened to assess readiness amid the ongoing war against Iran. The conflict, which began late last month, has prompted a strong Iranian response, with more than 80 waves of missile and drone strikes targeting key Israeli military infrastructure.

While official casualty figures remain undisclosed due to strict censorship, independent analysts estimate the toll in the thousands.