Air Force on the way to parting with its helicopter fleet: "No approval for payment" | Avi Ashkenazi

The frustration within the IDF is profound: the political echelon is halting the army on almost every front — from Iran to Lebanon and Gaza. There is a deep fear that Iran, along with its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, will exploit these political restrictions to establish a "balance of terror" similar to the reality that existed on the eve of the October 7 massacre.

In Gaza, the political echelon has significantly tightened the policy on targeted killings. Since Monday, the IDF has not carried out a single such operation. Military officials state that any intention to conduct a targeted strike now requires approval from the political echelon or, at the very least, from the Chief of Staff, Rav-Aluf Eyal Zamir. This decision follows American pressure and the demands of the Peace Council.

In Lebanon, the IDF was forced to avoid escalation following a serious incident in Majdal Zoun, which claimed the lives of two soldiers. The official justification for not responding with heavy strikes was the uncertainty regarding when the explosive device had been planted — whether it was this week or a month and a half ago.

This is a disturbing development. From Hezbollah's perspective, it is a "startup" of sorts: they violate the ceasefire by activating explosives while claiming the devices were planted long before the event. This phenomenon has already been observed in recent weeks against Lebanese army forces.

The issue extends beyond American pressure on the political echelon regarding open fronts. The IDF is also being restricted in its fight against nationalist crime and Jewish terror. This is being done brazenly, with the climax being the dismissal of Central Command Chief, Aluf Avi Bluth, by the Minister of Defense.

In the West Bank, Israel has lost all semblance of governance. The IDF admitted this week that 13 illegal outposts were established in the past seven days alone, joining about a hundred others. A senior officer noted that the IDF has not acted to evacuate these outposts as required. These outposts are merely the tip of the iceberg: in Khirbet Tuba, in the southern Hebron Hills, Jewish terrorists set fire to residential buildings, one of which contained a mother and her children.

Nationalist crime and Jewish terror are not confined to the West Bank; they also occupy the IDF on the borders of Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza, where far-right activists harass forces by crossing the border almost daily.

The lack of backing from the political echelon in ongoing operations may lead the army to a state of paralysis. Commanders may fear making professional decisions that contradict the agenda of the politicians in power, as evidenced by the Minister of Defense Israel Katz's remarks on Channel 14 regarding Aluf Avi Bluth.

Beyond current operations, the IDF is concerned about the long-term future. The army is waiting for approval for long-term procurement. Soon, the IDF will enter a "red zone" regarding its aging Apache helicopters, which lack spare parts. The Yasur helicopters are also due for retirement, yet the Ministry of Finance is failing to release the financial commitments necessary to order the aircraft the Air Force desperately needs.

The IDF is ringing the alarm bells. One can only hope that no one will later claim they were not warned.