IDF conscripts 14,500 civilians who were previously exempt from reserve duty, aiming to ease pressure on reservists amid ongoing conflict by forming 11 new battalions set to begin service in the coming months.
In a significant development, the IDF has conscripted approximately 14,500 Israeli civilians who previously held exemptions from reserve duty, under emergency Order 8. The move was disclosed on Monday during a closed session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
According to IDF officials, the large-scale recruitment aims to alleviate the immense burden placed on the reserve forces since the onset of the current conflict. The newly mobilized personnel—equivalent in manpower to 11 battalions—are expected to begin active service in the coming months.
The stated goal is to improve troop rotation, strengthen reserve ranks, and reduce the prolonged strain on reservists who have been serving continuously since hostilities began.
Roughly a year ago, Arutz Sheva-Israel National News reported that over 170,000 civilians who had served in the IDF over the past decade were released from reserve duty, including 40,000 who held combat roles. These exemptions, granted due to manpower reductions within the IDF, applied to all eligible individuals up to age 45 who otherwise could have served as active reservists.
In a committee session held a month earlier, IDF representatives acknowledged for the first time that they did not know the reason behind the widespread exemptions issued before 2020.
As reported Monday evening, the IDF has established 11 new battalions set to enter service soon, expected to ease the operational load on existing reserve units.
