Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has warned that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is facing a serious budget crunch that is undermining its operational readiness, even as the military remains stretched across multiple fronts.
Times of Israel reported that Zamir said the military was dealing with empty coffers at a time when its personnel and forces were under pressure across the country.
“At a time when the IDF and its servants are stretched thin in all sectors, we must deal with empty coffers. Such a situation undermines the readiness of the IDF,” Zamir said.
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He added that the military was also engaged in a campaign over the budget, while stressing that its primary focus remained the security of Israel.
“We will not be dragged into issues that could divert our focus and readiness,” Zamir reportedly said.
Israel's Finance Ministry rejected the suggestion that it had failed to meet the military's financial requirements, saying it remained fully committed to the country's military effort.
The ministry said it had funded military operations across all fronts, amounting to hundreds of billions of shekels, in line with the defence establishment's requirements.
It also said Israel's defence budget had tripled over the past two years and argued that military leaders must ensure the billions of shekels allocated annually are spent efficiently and responsibly.
The latest dispute comes as Israel faces sharply higher military costs after prolonged fighting involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, along with military operations in Yemen.
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Times of Israel reported that Israel's state budget, passed in March amid the Iran war that began on February 28, allocated a record NIS 143 billion ($45.8 billion) to the Defence Ministry, around 17% of total government spending.
In July, the Finance Ministry agreed to transfer another NIS 15 billion ($5.01 billion) to the military after the IDF warned that funding shortages were threatening the operation of several units.
Zamir's latest remarks also come amid a dispute over the pension of former military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, whose benefits were reportedly frozen by the Finance Ministry while criminal proceedings against her continue.
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