The Israel Defense Forces is grappling with a significant manpower crisis as new data reveals a sharp decline in the number of career servicemembers willing to remain in the military. Internal surveys show a steep drop in retention rates among both officers and non-commissioned officers compared to figures from 2018. The army is currently short hundreds of officers, forcing early promotions for less experienced personnel to fill critical gaps. Factors such as burnout from ongoing conflict, worsening service conditions, political pressures, and dissatisfaction with leadership appointments are fueling the crisis. The situation is further complicated by debates over draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, as the military urgently seeks thousands of new recruits to meet operational demands.