The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have terminated the state of war emergency enacted on October 7, which mandated four-month extensions to reserve duty for regular conscripts. This move initiates a reduction in military personnel, with downsizing of the regular army expected within weeks.
The announcement, reported by Ynet, followed shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s inner circle issued a blunt ultimatum to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir: “Resign” if opposed to the full occupation of Gaza. Concurrently, the IDF’s official X account published Zamir’s directive to cut approximately one company per regular infantry battalion. Dozens of soldiers will be reassigned to reserve battalions.
Reservists—many serving over a year continuously—were promised reduced operational duties in coming months. Zamir also eliminated forced career-service extensions for elite and special forces units within the last 24 hours.
The IDF stated these decisions reflect the Chief of Staff’s “concern for combatants’ service quality and enhanced rights,” acknowledging their contributions. Implementation aims to “preserve special units’ operational capabilities, maintain combatants’ expertise, ensure mission quality, and relieve reserve troops.”
This restructuring responds to mounting criticism over unsustainable soldier workloads and follows a wave of suicides among active-duty and reserve personnel in recent months.
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