IDF Warns of Readiness Crisis Amid Munitions Shortage

With the main focus of the IDF directed at Iran, against the backdrop of ongoing escalation and US military preparations to implement President Donald Trump's threats to expand strikes, a senior officer warns of a possible shortage of munitions and interceptor missiles.

In a conversation with Calcalist, he warned:

"When we reach the next confrontation, we will arrive less prepared. We are in a major malfunction in force buildup that does not allow us to be ready for the next round. In the last war with Iran, there was no major destruction in Tel Aviv, and I want it to remain that way in the next war as well."

Behind this lies the ongoing conflict between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance over the 2026 defense budget. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a National Security Council (NSC) plan to increase the budget by 15 billion shekels, the Kirya (IDF headquarters) is still waiting for the funds. In October and November, teams from the NSC and the ministries will assess the transfer of another 25 billion shekels needed to fund operations in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria.

"Missing opportunities"

The NSC plan also authorized the Ministry of Defense and the IDF to commit to future procurement worth 130 billion shekels. However, sources say the agreement has not been implemented. A senior military source noted:

"The ministerial committee for procurement heard all the plans, but the long-term budget planning mechanism needs to be increased first. If I cannot commit to suppliers, the IDF's warehouses will not return to the required readiness after 1,000 days of regional war. We are missing opportunities."

The current defense budget is 143 billion shekels. Increasing it to 183 billion is deemed necessary to replenish stocks. "In this long war, we used about 100,000 aerial munitions; we need more, including interceptors for Iron Dome and Arrow 3 missiles. The situation is not good," the officer said. He added that the IDF is in a "crazy arms race" that it is currently not winning.

The Ministry of Defense has expressed frustration over delays that may force a company to close a production line for munitions. The Ministry of Finance insists on fiscal discipline, claiming the defense budget has become a "black hole" at the expense of social services. The Treasury stated that the funds will be transferred in the coming days, citing the need to follow mandatory legal procedures for such large transfers.