Israel admits tank shortage amid Gaza operations

Israel's Armoured Forces Command has acknowledged a shortage of tanks following months of operations in the Gaza Strip, according to court documents.

Female members of the armoured forces had previously been denied permission to participate in operations in Gaza, Caliber.Az reports citing Israeli media which seen the documents.

They subsequently filed a petition with the Supreme Court, prompting a response from the command.

"The number of tanks in service is insufficient to meet the demands of both warfare and experimentation involving women. We are working to increase the arsenal. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) enlists a significant number of individuals to address the shortage of soldiers, but it cannot allocate enough personnel for such experiments during wartime," the IDF explained to the court.

As a result, the General Staff has decided to postpone the deployment of women to combat positions until November 2025.

However, the media highlighted the important role that female soldiers played in repelling the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

At least 682 Israeli soldiers have been killed and more than 4,100 others injured since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, according to military figures.