AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Israeli media today, Thursday, reported an unprecedented crisis in securing the army's budget, which according to military officials, has seriously threatened its operational capability on various fronts.
The Army's 15 Billion Shekel Debt to Defense Industries
The Zionist regime's broadcasting authority (Kan) announced that the army's debt to major defense industries companies, including Elbit, Rafael, and Israel Aerospace Industries, has exceeded 15 billion shekels (approximately $4 billion), and these companies have threatened to stop delivering equipment and ammunition.
Halt of Merkava Tank Shell Production Line in Coming Days
Israeli military sources have warned that Elbit will shut down the production line for Merkava tank shells in the coming days. It is also anticipated that the artillery shell production line will be completely halted in October, and mortar shell production in November. Military experts emphasize that closing these lines will result in the loss of skilled personnel and vital machinery, delaying a return to normalcy by years.
Grounding of Tank Battalions and Inability to Rebuild Vehicles Destroyed in Lebanon
A senior military official told the Zionist regime's television that several tank battalions have been taken out of service due to a severe shortage of spare parts. Additionally, hundreds of military vehicles destroyed in the recent Lebanon war have not yet been repaired, and the army lacks sufficient capability to move its combat forces across various fronts.
Warning About Inability to Confront Iran
This military official emphasized that the budget deficit has severely limited the army's operational capability in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon, and has particularly caused serious disruption to preparedness programs for confrontation with Iran. He warned that without an immediate injection of financial resources, the army will lose even the ability to maintain minimum efficiency and continue basic operations.
Dismissal of Dozens of Intelligence Unit Employees
In another part of this report, it was stated that due to the budget shortfall, dozens of employees in the army's intelligence unit (Aman) have been dismissed, indicating the depth of the financial crisis in the regime's military institutions.
Obstruction by the Ministry of Finance in Allocating the 40 Billion Shekel Budget
Reports indicate that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of the Zionist regime, and Bezalel Smotrich, the Finance Minister, have approved a 40 billion shekel increase in the war budget for 2026, bringing the total budget to 183 billion shekels, but the first installment of this increase (15 billion shekels) has not yet been transferred to the Ministry of War.
Severe disagreements between the Ministry of Finance and security institutions over the financial oversight mechanism have led to the official cancellation of many arms deals, including the purchase of Apache helicopters from the United States.
Possibility of Halt in Sensitive Ammunition Production
Officials of Israel's defense industries have warned about the cessation of strategic ammunition production and delays in contracts for the purchase of fighter jets and sensitive ammunition from abroad. It has also been announced that due to the imminent halt of production of the Israel-specific version of Hummer vehicles in the United States, there is no possibility of replacing vehicles destroyed in Lebanon, creating a serious problem for troop mobility.
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