AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Eliezer Ben Kimon, the military correspondent for Yedioth Ahronoth, quoted a senior security official of the Zionist regime as stating that the military establishment of this regime has reached a critical juncture and its operational efficiency is facing a direct threat.
This Zionist official, referring to the pressure from the Ministry of Finance on the military budget, said, "The budget division of the Ministry of Finance has pulled the brakes all the way, and we are on the brink of the abyss."
According to this report, although Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of the Zionist regime, and other political officials of this regime have acknowledged the existence of a 40 billion shekel gap in the military budget and have ordered the immediate transfer of 15 billion shekels, this amount has not yet reached the army, and its treasury continues to face shortages.
This situation has also affected the repair and reconstruction of military equipment, and the army is facing a shortage of hundreds of "Humvee" field vehicles that were destroyed in the Lebanon war.
This crisis has also spread to the ammunition sector, to the extent that the production lines of ammunition for ground forces in the domestic military industries of the Zionist regime are approaching full capacity.
Furthermore, the lack of financial outlook has limited the possibility of signing new arms deals, and some important contracts, including the agreement to purchase "Apache" attack helicopters from the United States, have finally expired after several extensions.
This security official also warned of the impact of the budget crisis on the strategic superiority of the air force and said that the loss of arms contracts, in addition to creating an operational gap, could also affect relations with the American government and increase the cost of purchasing military equipment in the global market.
Meanwhile, the security establishment of the Zionist regime has rejected the Ministry of Finance's claim that the army receives unlimited funds without adequate oversight, and has emphasized the existence of multiple oversight mechanisms.
According to officials of the Zionist regime's army, the budget for this institution was initially set at 111 billion shekels, while the army had requested 143 billion shekels. After the budget was increased to 143 billion shekels, due to the expansion of operations on several fronts, the financial gap reached 40 billion shekels.
These officials, referring to military operations in Lebanon, the 40-day war against Iran, the control of parts of the Gaza Strip, the presence in Syria, and the increased activities in the West Bank and the eastern borders, demanded the immediate transfer of 15 billion shekels and the establishment of a financial outlook for military planning.
They warned that the cost that is not paid today for financing may be paid tomorrow with heavier security costs.
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