Defense & Security

"Make no mistake, we do not want war, but we are ready to protect our citizens, our soldiers, and our sovereignty," Gallant stresses while visiting the northern border.

The reason for the move is the career service model and the agreements with the Finance Ministry, which force the military to discharge officers to prevent them from reaching pensionable age. As a result, many positions are either vacant or held by ill-suited officers.

As part of contingency, military prepares for a reality in which thousands of rockets get launched into Israeli territory daily, with Israel's economy all but paralyzed.

Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar says that his forces need to remain "vigilant and prepared."

According to Col. (Res.) Ronen Cohen, the Shiite group's growing efforts to change the rules of the game may suggest it has a green light from Iran to prepare for war.

Early August meeting comes amid growing threats by reservists not to show up due to passage of recent bill. Knesset lawmakers, who have also shown concern over the damage to the army's fitness for war, summon Gallant to appear in a closed-door hearing to brief MKs on the matter. 

Lt. Lidar Peretz, 21, was crushed to death by a falling container. Military launches investigation into the circumstances of her death.

Instead of focusing on operations and training, senior military officials have almost exclusively been preoccupied with the impact of the controversial legislation and the ensuing protests on the IDF.

During a cabinet meeting pushed by a day due to hospitalization, the prime minister assures that he is "feeling excellent."

Defense minister makes comments in Azerbaijan, amid reported Iranian plot to attack Israel's embassy in Baku.