Israel Was Built for Short Wars—Now It Is Trapped in Long Ones

*Israel Was Built for Short Wars—Now It Is Trapped in Long Ones*

From its very foundation, Israel’s military doctrine has been built on short, decisive, high-intensity wars. Israeli society has low tolerance for prolonged conflicts. Yet, in recent years, the power ambitions of Zionist officials combined with the global shift away from a U.S.-centric order—have pushed Israel toward multiple, extended wars. Despite this fundamental change in military doctrine, the Israeli way of life has not adjusted accordingly. Instead, these conditions have driven the Israeli military toward a state of extreme crisis. A significant wave of early retirement requests has swept through the armed forces. Around 600 senior officers and high-ranking non-commissioned officers have applied for early retirement, while dozens more have resigned outright .At the same time, Israel continues to face a serious recruitment crisis, along with the unresolved confrontation over the refusal of Haredi communities to serve in the military. Analysts believe these overlapping crises have severely weakened the operational capability and internal cohesion of the Israeli army.