'Israel' launches Hasmonean Brigade to compensate for war losses

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
Today 04:58
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'Israel' officially formalizes the Hasmonean Brigade to mobilize older reserve troops and Haredi soldiers amid rising war casualties.

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Ultra-Orthodox soldiers drafted to the Israeli occupation forces' new Haredi brigade, known as the Hasmonean Brigade, January 5, 2025. (Israeli occupation forces)

The Israeli occupation's military command has formally approved the establishment of the Hasmonean Brigade, a new infantry reserve unit mainly composed of older male soldiers aged 50 to 55, in an apparent effort to compensate for a widening manpower crisis exacerbated by the ongoing war on Gaza.

According to Israeli channel i24 News, the Planning Division of the Israeli military greenlit the creation of the brigade, originally formed in the early weeks of the war, and is now transitioning it into an operational combat unit aimed at supporting "border protection missions" with full infantry capabilities.

Estimates suggest the brigade could mobilize over 3,000 reservists from the older demographic. The move has garnered backing from various Israeli political figures, including Knesset member Almog Cohen, who endorsed the step as a means to expand "Israel’s" military resources.

Despite ongoing organizational work, the Israeli military has yet to issue a formal public announcement, as reported by i24. However, the step is viewed as part of broader Israeli efforts to address personnel shortages, especially as the toll of the killed and wounded soldiers continues to rise.

Massive injury toll amid plans to expand war on Gaza

The announcement coincides with mounting reports of casualties within Israeli ranks. Late last month, Yedioth Ahronoth revealed that more than 18,500 Israeli soldiers have been injured since October 7, 2023. Thousands among them are reportedly suffering from severe psychological trauma, with projections suggesting that the number of wounded could reach 100,000 by 2028.

Haredi integration, the first Hasmonean cohort

Separately but under the same brigade banner, around 50 Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) soldiers of the Hasmonean Brigade concluded seven months of basic and advanced training this week. This development comes amid sharp societal divisions in the Israeli entity over the forced conscription of Haredi youth, who have historically avoided military service. Despite heavy opposition from leading ultra-Orthodox religious figures and parties, the Israeli military has accelerated efforts to integrate Haredi men into combat roles to make up for the war’s attrition.

“The army and the Torah go together, shoulder to shoulder. One strengthens the other,” declared MK Boaz Bismuth at the ceremony, where the soldiers received the brigade’s new dark blue berets.

Yet Haredi leadership remains vehemently opposed. Following a recent rabbinic conference, a statement reaffirmed that yeshiva students are “forbidden to go to any military framework,” even those claiming to accommodate their religious lifestyle.

Combat operations, expansion plans

According to the Israeli military, the Hasmonean Brigade, both in its regular and reserve branches, has already been active operationally. Currently, the Israeli military command claims it urgently needs 12,000 new soldiers to maintain operations in Gaza and along other fronts. However, Haredi turnout has been feeble as only 2,700 men enlisted in the past year. With an estimated 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 currently eligible but unregistered for service, the growing strain on the Israeli occupation military has become a flashpoint in the political arena.