How big is the Israeli military and what is the Iron Dome?

There are currently 173,000 active soldiers in the Israeli army, including 8,000 commanders, and another 300,000 reservists have been called to fight Hamas

Israel is laying siege to Gaza after a deadly attack by Hamas left hundreds of people dead.

The country is drawing on its huge military capabilities to hit back at the terrorists and say they have already killed around 1,500 militants following Saturday’s incursion.

“We are going to go on the offense and attack the Hamas terrorist group and any other group that is in Gaza,” Israeli Brigadier General Dan Goldfus said. “We will have to change the reality from within Gaza to prevent this from happening again.”

An Israeli tank drives toward the southern border with the Gaza Strip (Getty Images)

The surprise Hamas attack is by far the deadliest by militants in Israeli history, with Goldfus telling reporters on Tuesday the death toll had topped 1,000.

In response, the military has mobilised 300,000 reservists, with speculation a ground invasion of Gaza is imminent. Below we look at the significant resources Israel can call on in its war on Hamas.

How big is the Israeli military?

Israeli soldiers scan an area while sirens sound as rockets from Gaza are launched towards Israel (REUTERS)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is the national military. It has three branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy.

Fixed-term military service has been compulsory in the country since the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.

All citizens over 18 years of age, regardless of gender or ethnicity, are required to serve for at least 24 to 32 months. There are a few exceptions, such as religious women, married individuals, and those with disabilities.

There are currently 173,000 active soldiers in the Israeli army, including 8,000 commanders.

Soldiers and a civilian take cover as a siren sounds a warning of incoming rockets (AP)

The military has also called up 300,000 reservists to prepare for its largest ever mobilisation, with special flights being organised to bring reservists from abroad to join its efforts.

Israel is also drawing on its special forces from the Sayeret Matkal unit to fight against Hamas. It is believed that they will be aiming to neutralise high-ranking fighters within the terrorist organisation and rescue Israelis who have been taken hostage.

In 2021, the Israeli military spend was $24.34 billion.

What weapons does the Israeli army have?

Soldiers with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) near Israel’s border with Lebanon (REUTERS)

Israeli forces have already used 600 planes and 300 rocket launchers to strike the Gaza Strip.

The ground troops are also drawing from Israel’s arsenal of 300 military tanks, with a further 2,000 available for use.

Israel’s Merkava tank is similar to the German Leopard 2 battle tank that has been widely used in Ukraine. The tank has a thick front armour plate to provide maximum protection for its crew and is armed with a 120mm main gun.

On Monday the Israeli Air Force said it had dropped around 2,000 munitions and more than 1,000 tonnes of bombs on Gaza aimed at over 10,000 targets in less than 24 hours. The air force is known for its Kfir fighter jets and also has a number of F-35 Lightning II jets obtained from the USA.

The IDF is believed to have maintained a nuclear weapons capability since 1967, with an estimated 90 warheads according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NFI), although Israel does not officially confirm this.

Fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City (AP)

What is the Iron Dome?

The Iron Dome is an Israeli mobile air defence system and Israel is the only country in the world operating such a system on a national level.

The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells whose trajectory would take them to a populated area.

The missile defense system is one of Israel’s most important tools and has saved many civilian lives since it became operational in 2011.

The IDF said the system had a 95.6% success rate during a missile raid fired by Islamic Jihad in May.

There are 10 Iron Dome batteries across Israel and each one can carry 11 kilograms of explosives.

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip (REUTERS)

The USA contributed to the construction and maintenance of the Iron Dome, spending $1.6 billion on the system from 2011 to 2021.

Each missile costs around $40,000, so intercepting thousands of incoming Hamas rockets can become costly.

The IDF says the Iron Dome is a purely defensive system and has no attacking capabilities.

Israel has now asked the US to assist in restocking the defence system after suffering large missile barrages during Hamas attacks.