Israel's strength and influence stem from a combination of its formidable military capabilities, advanced technology, a strong sense of national purpose, and key international alliances.
With 3.5 million active and reserve soldiers, Israel has one of the highest military participation rates. Every man and woman is compulsorily trained in the army for at least 3 years, making self-defense a lifestyle. No wonder Israeli women confidently carry weapons and walk with strength.
Israel's military strength is the result of deliberate, long-term investments across strategy, organization, technology, society, and geopolitics. The following factors combine to produce a highly capable, adaptive, and resilient armed force.
One of the world's most technologically advanced countries, Israel allocates a larger share of its economy to research and development than any other state and is believed to possess nuclear weapons.
Though they existed more than eight centuries ago, Genghis Khan and the Mongols are still regarded as the most-feared military of all time. This is due to their reign over an incredible empire that they conquered in a short period of time.
Israel's military at a glance
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' (IISS) Military Balance 2023, Israel has 169,500 active military personnel in the army, navy and paramilitary. A further 465,000 constitute its reserve forces, while 8,000 form part of its paramilitary.
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with cut diamonds, high-technology equipment and pharmaceuticals among its major exports. The country is very highly developed in terms of life expectancy, education, per capita income and other human development index indicators.
The internationally recognized great powers today are China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with India being the most likely country to become a great power in the near future.
The U.S. has provided strong support for Israel; it has played a key role in the promotion of good relations between Israel and its neighbouring Arab states. In turn, Israel provides a strategic American foothold in the region as well as intelligence and advanced technological partnerships.
According to IDF statistics, there are two Arab officers currently serving in the IDF, and only one, Ala Wahib, in a core post. A female Muslim officer was recently discharged from the Air Force. Fifteen Muslim Arabs and 14 Christian Arabs have been killed over the years while serving in the IDF.
Israel is one of only a few nations that conscript women or deploy them in combat roles, although in practice, women can avoid conscription through a religious exemption and over a third of Israeli women do so.
Russia has a large number of aircraft, including advanced fighter jets and bombers. However, Israel's air force is incredibly sophisticated, equipped with state-of-the-art American-made aircraft and advanced missile defense systems like the Iron Dome.
The country's major economic sectors are high-technology and industrial manufacturing. The Israeli diamond industry is one of the world's centers for diamond cutting and polishing, amounting to 21% of all exports in 2017.
Israel was not a state before 1948.
Israel's close friendship with the United States has been a linchpin of its foreign policy since the establishment of the state. Until the Iranian Revolution and the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979, Israel and Iran maintained close ties.
Iran and Israel both have formidable military might. Iran has a general advantage in numbers, with some 600,000 active personnel (and 350,000 reservists) compared to Israel's 170,000 (and 450,000 reservists).
In 2023, the population of Muslims in Israel was estimated at 1.77 million. This marked an increase of 2 percent compared to the previous year. The Muslim community in the country formed the largest religious minority in the country.
Israel operates as a high-income, market-oriented economy. Its GDP per capita is over $50,000 (2024 est.). It's powered by high-tech, defense, services, and global investment. Iran, by contrast, is a resource-rich but sanction-hit economy.
The richest country by GDP (PPP) per capita is often cited as Singapore, followed closely by Luxembourg, depending on the specific report and year, with Singapore leading in 2025 estimates with around $156,000-$157,000 per person, while Luxembourg is a strong contender just below that, highlighting small, finance-heavy economies as wealthiest per person.
Since 1992, the United States has provided Israel with $6.6 billion worth of equipment under the Excess Defense Articles program, including weapons, spare parts, weapons, and simulators.
Iranian Armed Forces are the largest in the Middle East in terms of active troops. Iran's military forces are made up of approximately 610,000 active-duty personnel plus 350,000 reserve and trained personnel that can be mobilized when needed, bringing the country's military manpower to about 960,000 total personnel.
As of 2024, the number of combat aircraft in the Israeli Air Force (IAF) amounted to 278. Around 174 fighter aircraft were F-16 jets, which are designed by the American Lockheed Martin company, and locally known as the Barak 1. In addition, Israeli forces included 66 F-15 fighter aircraft, and 38 F-35 aircraft.