Comparing the strength of Israel and Iran militaties as fighting continues
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At least 80 people have died after a torpedo struck the Iranian IRIS Dena 75 warship on Wednesday, the US has claimed.
Footage released by the Department of War shows the vessel exploding after being hit by fire from a submarine, with around 180 personnel onboard the Iranian ship.
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Iran has been striking back since the US launched its initial attacks over the weekend, with one operation killing the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
In response, officials in Tehran have ordered strikes on bases of the US and its allies , with Israel having also become involved in assisting the American operation.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has now, in a latest development, vowed to wipe out the new supreme leader of Iran , Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has always had an anti-Israel stance and this crisis has further stoked tensions between them.
Here we study the sizes and power of militaries that both countries can call upon.
Iran v Israel: How their militaries compare
Budget
Iran has an annual budget of $24 billion for its military, as of 2021, which was around 17% of its government budget. For 2026, Israel has planned a spend of $36bn for its military.
This difference has allowed Israel to buy cutting edge equipment and also invest in cyber warfare strategy. Key to Israel’s strength, however, is its alliance with the United States.
Size of army and country
Iran has a far larger number of personnel to draw from, with 610,000 active soldiers and hundreds and thousands more in the reserves – giving it the largest numbers in the region. Israel has 170,000 troops and 465,000 reservists, according to Economic Times. Iran has a population of 92 million, compared to the 10 million who live in Israel, while Iran is approximately 75 times bigger than Israel, which has the ability to mobilise more quickly.
Resources
According to the website Global Fire Power , the resources of the two countries are very evenly matched, with Israel the 15th strongest in the world and Iran the 16th.
It states that Iran has stronger land and naval power as well as natural resources, but Israel is in a stronger geographic location and has a superior air force.
According to the Sunday Guardian , Iran has a navy well connected to the Strait of Hormuz and has a range of resources, while Israel has a smaller fleet with its plan focused on submarines with missile-firing capabilities.
The report added that Iran has between 1,700 and 2,000 tanks, tens of thousands of armoured vehicles, and a vast arsenal of rocket launchers, while Israel focuses on technology and logistical precision.
