IDF Weighs Mission Cuts Amid NIS 25B Budget Gap

Israel Hayom updated at 21:07 IDT that the IDF is preparing mission cuts after the Finance and Defense ministries agreed on NIS 15 billion rather than the NIS 40 billion defense officials sought, leaving a NIS 25 billion gap to revisit in October. The report says possible cuts include standby squads in Judea and Samaria, the Lebanon border and some Syria-border security tasks. Times of Israel, Walla and Ynet confirm the NIS 15 billion deal, the NIS 40 billion demand and the procurement pressure. The warning is a readiness issue: Israel must fund the forces, munitions and border defenses needed against Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas while keeping fiscal discipline.