Over the past three days Israeli jets, which include the United States-made F35 stealth fighters, have launched devastating aerial attacks on Gaza to soften Hamas targets and Palestinian defences ahead of a widely-expected ground offensive. Tel Aviv has also drafted three lakh reserve soldiers, and amassed tanks and troops, as it looks to retaliate to Saturday's brutal attack; an estimated 1,500 Hamas gunmen stormed the fortified Gaza border, slaughtering hundreds and taking hostages.
The fierce fighting has brought Israel's military stores into the spotlight.
According to the Global Firepower Index, an annually-updated stats website that tracks defence-related information, the Israeli Defence Forces is one of the 20 most powerful militaries in the world.
An overview of its military assets reveals 241 fighter jets, 48 attack helicopters, and 2,200 tanks.
These include F35s, which have one of the world's best electronic warfare suits and have been described by American Air Force pilots as an aircraft providing enhanced situational awareness.
Israel also has over 1,200 artillery units; this includes 300 MLRS, or multiple launch rocket systems. This includes smart bombs that can strike targets with minimum collateral damage.
READ | Israel vs Hamas Armoury Explained: How It Stacks Up
The country also has seven warships and at least six attack submarines, including the INS Drakon, which was designed indigenously but built in Germany and is reportedly capable of firing nuclear missiles from a vertical launch system housed in its sail (the tower-like structure on top of the sub).
Israel also has the Iron Dome - a highly-regarded mobile air defence system that consists of 10 batteries each with four missile launchers. A single battery - which can be set up in just hours - can protect up to 60 square kilometres of populated areas from rockets and other incoming projectiles.
READ | In Israel-Gaza War, Hamas' Off-The-Shelf Drones Destroy Million Dollar Hardware
Perception of the Iron Dome's efficacy, however, may have taken a hit after it failed to intercept rockets Saturday, although this was due to the Hamas overloading the system by firing thousands.
Israel's Intelligence Networks
Israel has one of the world's most acclaimed intelligence networks, including the Mossad; the famed spy agency is widely seen as one of the best after the United States' Central Intelligence Agency.
READ | Explained: How Mossad Functions And Why It Failed To Stop Hamas Attack
However, the fact Hamas managed to stockpile weapons, and plan and execute its attacks without detection has raised questions over both Mossad and Israel's domestic intel agency, Shin Bet.
Israel Defence Budget
The Israel government in February announced a multi-year allocation effective till 2028.
The exact amount was never revealed, but a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said that in 2022 Israel spent $23.4 billion on defence. This was 4.2 per cent lower than its 2021 figure as the government instituted cuts to reduce its overall budgetary deficit.
Israel also gets $3 billion annually from the United States; in 2016 then US President Barack Obama signed a 10-year, $38 billion deal that includes grants to buy weapons and $5 billion for missiles.
It has also received $58 billion in military aid from the US in the past 20 years.
US President Joe Biden has now pledged to bolster this support after Hamas' attack. This includes the USS Ford, its most advanced aircraft carrier, and five warships, including guided missile destroyer USS Normandy. The US may also send munitions, including bombs for the Iron Dome system.
The Israel-Hamas War
Nearly 4,000 people have died on both sides since fighting began, and innocent civilians and non-combatants in the Gaza Strip - a narrow patch of land home to 2.3 million people - has been plunged into a humanitarian crisis after Israel's "complete siege".
READ | Electricity In Gaza Goes Out After Sole Power Station Stops Working
Gaza Wednesday evening ran out of electricity and is likely to run out of drinking water and food also, after Israel stopped all supplies on Monday.
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