Ammunition shortages and mounting financial pressures threaten the operational readiness of the Israeli military, with officials warning that the security establishment faces a critical moment as promised funding remains unavailable and the validity of major, strategically important procurement deals has expired.
Elisha Ben-Kimon, the military correspondent for Yedioth Ahronoth, reported that officials in the Israeli occupation army were warning that the military establishment was experiencing a critical juncture that directly threatened its operational effectiveness, while its promised budget was being depleted and the validity of major procurement agreements had expired.
Ben-Kimon quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying in closed-door discussions: “The Budget Division at the Finance Ministry has slammed on the brakes, and we are on the brink.”
Ben-Kimon also painted what he described as a “bleak” picture of the Israeli military’s ability to maintain its operational readiness over the long term.
‘Israeli’ military chief of staff Eyal Zamir said the army is dealing with “empty coffers” as it faces ongoing pressure over its budget.
— Roya News English (@RoyaNewsEnglish) August 27, 2026
For live updates: https://t.co/CpbNzOTMM6 pic.twitter.com/q2tH9Qm0kO
According to the Israeli official, although the political leadership and Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged a budget shortfall of 40 billion shekels and ordered the immediate transfer of 15 billion shekels, the funds never arrived, leaving the treasury completely empty.
The official said the damage was penetrating deeply into day-to-day operations and the rehabilitation of capabilities across multiple fronts. In addition to difficulties repairing tanks, a serious shortage has now emerged in hundreds of Hummer field vehicles destroyed in fighting in Lebanon.
The lack of a clear financial outlook is also closing the window for additional procurement. The Americans are expected to soon halt production of Hummer vehicles in the “Israeli” configuration. At the same time, production lines for ground-force ammunition at “local defense industries” are also approaching their limits, while companies such as Elbit and Rafael cannot be expected to finance the security establishment out of their own pockets.
The financial crisis is not confined to the ground forces; it is also undermining the strategic superiority of the air force. A prominent example is the collapse of the Apache attack-helicopter deal with the US administration, an agreement developed over the past two years based on the assessment that attack helicopters are essential for “border defense” and ongoing combat operations.
The Israeli official explained, “After the Americans presented an official plan, officials in the Budget Division did everything they could to prevent the deal from reaching political-level approval. Following several extensions to the deal’s validity requested by the Defense Ministry and the Israeli military, the agreement officially expired.”
“Every missed deal of this kind harms relations with the US administration and drives up prices on the global market, particularly when countries in the region, such as Qatar, purchase platforms such as aerial refueling aircraft at extremely high prices, pushing prices higher. Above all, it creates a dangerous operational gap on the ground,” he added.
According to the Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent, the security establishment strongly rejects the Finance Ministry’s claims that the Israeli military receives unlimited budgets without adequate oversight. It points to strict oversight mechanisms, including the Accountant General, who signs off on every request; representatives of the Accountant General within the War Ministry; and an accountant in the Budget Directorate who was recruited for military service and holds the rank of colonel.
Officials in the occupation army said, “The political leadership imposed a budget of 111 billion shekels on the Israeli military, instead of the 143 billion it requested, and reduced reserve-service days from 60,000 to 40,000.”
“During Operation Roaring Lion, the budget was increased to 143 billion shekels, but the gap between the political leadership’s directives and the actual budget widened to 40 billion shekels because of the launch of a deep maneuver in Lebanon; a 40-day campaign against Iran; control of 62% of the Gaza Strip; a buffer security zone in Syria; and increased activity in the West Bank and along the eastern border, including efforts to address threats from drones there.”
Ben-Kimon noted that, “with concerns over political paralysis during the election period and no approved budget law expected until the summer of 2027,” officials in the Israeli military were emphasizing that even senior officials in the government’s legal counsel had come to recognize that the urgent needs currently on the table—foremost among them the problem of stockpiles and production lines that are on the verge of shutting down in the coming weeks—remain critically necessary during the election period as well.
“Ammunition, spare parts for naval and ground platforms, and border-protection equipment are all needs that have absolutely nothing to do with politics,” the officials said.
In conclusion, the Israeli occupation army officials said, “The 15 billion shekels that have already been agreed upon must be transferred immediately, and the government must open the budget in order to create a planning horizon, because the price that is not paid in money today will be paid tomorrow in the security of the ‘state.’”