Faced with multiple security threats and simultaneous combat across several fronts, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has determined that the IDF must expand immediately. He views this as an urgent security imperative—crucial not only for addressing operational demands but also for managing internal military and societal challenges.
Since October 7, 2023, tens of thousands of reservists have already served hundreds of days in uniform across a range of roles. Acknowledging the strain, the IDF leadership insists that reserve deployments will be made with “discretion and responsibility,” based solely on operational and substantive needs. A senior military source told News12 that the IDF is actively working to improve conditions for those serving in regular, reserve, and career roles—and emphasized that the Chief of Staff’s guiding principle is “equality of burden.”
“The one who gives more—receives more,” the source said, underscoring the IDF’s commitment to adapting itself to diverse sectors of Israeli society. From the army’s perspective, all segments must serve under the security umbrella. However, the scale of the crisis is stark: the IDF is short roughly 10,000 soldiers, including 7,000 combat troops.
With this backdrop, the source warned that the IDF “will not be able to stand alone and fulfill its mission” without civilian sanctions and political backing. The current draft bill being worked on by the coalition government, which would presumably grant sweeping exemptions to the Haredim, is viewed by the military as a direct threat to national security. Recruitment from the Haredi sector is now seen as an operational necessity, and significant efforts are underway to build a tailored framework for their integration—alongside the issuing of legal draft notices.
A core principle guiding Zamir’s approach to manpower is the concept of equal burden-sharing, paired with fair compensation for those who serve. The IDF acknowledges the growing strain on regular, career, and especially reserve soldiers—some of whom have been called up for service lasting hundreds of days. In response, the IDF is working to improve conditions across all units and is stressing the national responsibility for everyone to “get under the stretcher” and carry the load together.
Amid a growing shortage of combat troops, the IDF’s Manpower Division has implemented “Order 77″—a directive named after the General Staff code that allows for the extension of service for combat soldiers beyond their regular term. Under this order, every regular combat soldier will now serve an additional four months of reserve duty under an Open Order 8, delaying their release leave until the full three-year period is completed.
This move follows extensive staff work led by Major General Dado Bar-Khalifa, head of the IDF Reserve Command, who drew on his experience commanding thousands of fighters during the war as head of Division 36. Bar-Khalifa has now formalized the emergency code that permits transitioning regular troops directly into reserve duty. Despite the added burden this places on soldiers—and the fact that this effectively extends their service without new legislation—he chose to apply it broadly and uniformly, acknowledging the toll of what is becoming a prolonged and unsustainable status quo.
Enlisted soldiers completing their three-year service will now immediately continue with four months of reserve duty, receiving a monthly salary of approximately 8,000 shekels ($2,210). Their paid release leave will begin only after this period—and will be shorter than that granted to standard reserve soldiers.
The IDF recognizes that it cannot meet its growing manpower needs alone and is calling for political support, including civilian enforcement and sanctions. Recruiting from the Haredi sector is now classified as a “clear operational need,” and the military is working to create tailored infrastructure and service tracks to facilitate integration. In line with legal and security requirements, the IDF plans to issue approximately 24,000 draft orders by the end of June.
