Tehran, March 29
Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf on Saturday said the country's response to Israel's military action would "accelerate" the collapse of its defence forces, referring to remarks by the Israeli military chief warning of internal strain within the army.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf accused Israel of attempting to deflect attention from internal military weaknesses and restore confidence within its government and armed forces by escalating tensions with Tehran.
He argued that Israeli strikes on Iran's industrial infrastructure are meant to distract from the army's troubles and bolster morale in Tel Aviv, but he insisted that such provocations would instead hasten the "ongoing collapse".
Ghalibaf further portrayed Tehran's response not as reactive but as decisive and strategically calibrated to exploit what he described as weaknesses in Israeli defence postures.
"The Israeli military chief warned, 'I'm raising 10 red flags...the IDF will collapse into itself'. By escalating tensions and attacking Iran's industrial infrastructure, the criminal Zionist regime is attempting to ignore these warnings and restore the confidence of its corrupt cabinet and army. Instead, Iran's fierce response will accelerate this ongoing collapse," the speaker stated in his post.
Ghalibaf's remarks come days after the Chief of Staff of the IDF, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, on Thursday warned that the Israeli military could "collapse in on itself" due to increasing operational pressures and a worsening manpower shortage amid conflict in West Asia, Times of Israel reported, citing reports.
According to the Times of Israel, citing Israel's Channel 13 News, Zamir made the remarks during a security cabinet meeting, where he flagged serious concerns over the army's preparedness.
"I am raising 10 red flags before you," he reportedly told ministers, as reported by the Times of Israel.
He stressed the urgent need for legislative measures, including a conscription law, a reserve duty law, and an extension of mandatory military service.
"The IDF now needs a conscription law, a reserve duty law, and a law to extend mandatory service," Zamir was quoted as saying, as reported by Times of Israel, warning that without such steps, the military may soon struggle to carry out routine operations and sustain its reserve system.
According to the Times of Israel, this is not the first time Zamir has sounded the alarm over the issue. In January, he had written to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials, cautioning that the shortage of personnel could soon impact the army's operational readiness.
The manpower crunch has intensified since the outbreak of the Gaza war following the October 7 attacks in 2023. The military has repeatedly informed lawmakers that it is short of around 12,000 troops amid ongoing operational demands, Times of Israel reported.
The issue has also been complicated by political debates over military service exemptions. Ultra-Orthodox parties have pushed for legislation to maintain exemptions for their communities, even after a 2024 ruling by Israel's High Court found no legal basis for the longstanding exemption granted to Haredi yeshiva students, as reported by Times of Israel.
Reports indicate that around 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged between 18 and 24 are currently eligible for service but have not enlisted.
- ANI
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