IDF's Response to Multi-Front Threat: More Tanks, Artillery, and Soldiers - Analysis

Efforts are underway in the IDF and Defense Ministry to promote the approval of a multi-year plan for dividing the defense budget in the army, taking into account various threats from the North and the South. Among other things, the IDF aims to cancel the reduction in service length, establish an intelligence command for the Gaza Strip, and invest in an aerial and ground laser system.

Alongside the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, the IDF General Staff and heads of the Defense Ministry held discussions in recent days to advance the approval of the multi-year “Ma’alot” plan by the government to allocate the defense budget in the IDF.

IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi is leading the basic premise, according to which the IDF’s power building for the next five years is derived from the army’s attribution to the various threats on multiple fronts. At this stage, there is a disagreement within the security establishment on how to allocate the $8.7 billion in US aid funds to military components - defense or offense.

In the army’s view, preparedness must be parallel to warfare in Gaza despite the reduced threat after the war. Through the multi-year plan, the IDF aims to emphasize multi-layered defense against threats from Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Iran, Houthi rebels in Yemen, pro-Iranian Shi’ite militias in Syria and Iraq, and the maritime arena.

The IDF is also seeking to increase the number of various missile interceptors and the number of Iron Dome batteries, reinforce troop numbers along the borders, expand the personnel in regular, permanent, and reserve duty, establish a new intelligence command for the Gaza Strip to assist forces in carrying out operations after the war and invest in an aerial and ground laser system for defense against rockets and missiles. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we ask that You assist our military leaders in defending our land and protecting our borders. We pray that all funds allocated for military purposes will be spent wisely and that priority will be given to Israelis’ safety. We also pray that our defense forces will achieve an end to the war after more than 2 months of incessant fighting, mourning, and suffering .”