Israel has some of the most technologically advanced defenses in the world.
Paris:
Israel has one of the best-equipped militaries in the world, which is heavily supported by Washington. In Hamas, it faces a well-trained armed group with powerful regional allies.
With both sides poised for a ground offensive in the wake of Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack, here’s a look at their military assets.
Israel
The Israeli Army (IDF) has 169,500 soldiers, of which 126,000 are military personnel, according to the British International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
In addition, the country has 400,000 reservists, of which 360,000 have been mobilized since the Hamas attack.
Israel has some of the most technologically advanced defense systems in the world, including the ‘Iron Dome’ anti-missile system.
IISS says it has some 1,300 tanks and other armored vehicles, 345 fighter jets and a huge arsenal of artillery, drones and state-of-the-art submarines.
Although not a declared nuclear state, Israel’s stockpile of nuclear weapons is an open secret and the Arms Control Association estimates the number of nuclear warheads at 90.
American ally
Washington currently provides Israel with $3.8 billion a year in military aid under a 10-year agreement that runs until 2028.
It has supplied more ammunition to Israel and deployed two aircraft carriers in the eastern Mediterranean – the USS Gerald Ford, the largest warship in the world, and the USS Eisenhower, intended to deter not only Hamas but also its allies in Iran and Hezbollah.
U.K. defense analysis firm Janes said U.S. aircraft carriers travel with smaller ships — destroyers, cruisers, submarines and support vessels — providing a wide range of capabilities, including ballistic missile protection, command and control, humanitarian assistance, evacuation and disaster relief.
“Another aircraft carrier adds another 95,000 tons of energy projection to the point the United States is making,” says Janes expert Nick Brown.
Hamas
Hamas has a diverse arsenal that has been built up over the years.
The armed forces, called Al-Qassam Brigades, number 15,000, according to IISS, although Arab media estimate the number at 40,000.
They have heavy weapons sourced from across the Middle East – particularly Iran, Syria and Libya – and have also sourced small arms and assault rifles from China and other regions.
It also has a variety of locally made improvised explosive devices and Western sources say there are enough drones, mines, anti-tank guided missiles, grenade launchers and mortars to last for a long period, although precise figures are not available.
The majority of missiles are also locally manufactured and technologically rudimentary.
Hezbollah
Exchanges have already taken place across the border between Israel and Lebanon, where the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah is based.
“Hezbollah can tie up IDF assets without having to fully engage in combat, instead relying on occasional rocket attacks to prevent the Israelis from becoming complacent and forcing the IDF to deploy manpower and equipment along the northern border,” he said. the Soufan Center. , an American think tank.
In 2021, the group claimed to have 100,000 fighters. The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), an Israeli think tank, says the number is half that.
Independent Middle East expert Eva Koulouriotis estimates that Hezbollah has 20,000 highly trained fighters and a reserve of around 50,000 fighters who have received three months of training in Lebanon and three months in Iran.
INSS says the group’s arsenal numbers between 150,000 and 200,000 rockets and missiles, including “hundreds” of precision missiles.
Hezbollah simulated cross-border attacks on Israel in May involving weapons systems from Iran, Syria, Russia and China.
Iran
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has made support for the Palestinians one of the pillars of its ideology.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned in recent days: “No one can guarantee control over the situation and non-expansion of the conflicts” if Israel sends its soldiers to Gaza.
Raz Zimmt of INSS said Iran currently has “no interest in Hezbollah unleashing an all-out war” that could threaten such an important “strategic asset.”
But he added that Iran’s hand could be forced by “an Israeli ground invasion, and especially by Israeli military success, which will threaten the survival of Hamas and/or its ability to maintain effective control over the Gaza Strip.” to threaten.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
