A Ynet review describes changes to military intelligence, stronger defenses near Gaza and growing pressure on reservists. Some of the outlet’s figures are not independently confirmed in available reports and are attributed to Ynet.
Three years after the October 7 attack, the Israel Defense Forces have changed the work of military intelligence, Southern Command and the air force, Ynet reports, citing findings published by the military spokesperson. The outlet says the reforms will ultimately be judged by whether intelligence can warn of the next threat.
According to Ynet, military intelligence introduced regular self-criticism, gave greater weight to signals that do not fit prevailing assumptions and established a multi-front warning center to combine intelligence with information from the field. The report also describes new training and analysis units, expanded preparation for intelligence commanders, broader study of Islam and Arab culture, and a technology unit that uses AI to process unstructured data.
In southern Israel, the report says, the military upgraded defenses around communities near Gaza with new barriers, lighting, observation and radar systems. Local response teams received weapons, body armor and drones. Ynet also reports new fortified positions and a layered barrier above and below ground. It says that since the October 2025 ceasefire, the military has carried out more than 4,000 systematic drillings to locate underground infrastructure.
The air force, according to the report, increased the number of forces on immediate alert, delegated more authority to field units and moved its 190th combat helicopter squadron to Ramat David Airbase to shorten response times in the north. Additional detection systems and specialized units were deployed to counter drones and protect air force facilities.
Ynet cites figures indicating that the number of personnel assigned to the reserves rose by 38%, while combat reservists now serve an average of 80 to 100 days a year, compared with a planned 55. The outlet says a special call-up in 2024 returned about 22,000 people from exempt status, followed by further recruitment drives in 2025 and 2026. These figures are attributed to Ynet; no separate corroborating breakdown was available in the reports reviewed.
Other outlets have also reported on manpower concerns. The Jerusalem Post said the military plans to expand forces and prepare for surprise attacks on multiple fronts while strengthening border communities and warning systems. The IDF’s official page describes the wider process of investigating the October 7 events and drawing lessons; the specific changes and statistics above are reported by Ynet.