Among them are 196 assigned to combat roles and 167 to combat support positions, while another 23 recruits are still awaiting final placement. The combat soldiers have been distributed across several units: 105 to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the Kfir Brigade, 48 to the Hasmonean Brigade, 19 to the Tomer Company of the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion, 20 to the Hetz Company of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 202nd Battalion, and four to the ground defense unit at Nevatim Airbase.
In addition to these conscripts, 26 older Haredi men joined as reservists after completing the “Shlav Bet” (Stage B) track— a basic two-week training course for older recruits assigned to non-combat roles. These reservists, along with another 100, are slated to begin an intensive six-month combat training course next week, preparing them to serve in the Hasmonean Brigade’s reserve unit.
The IDF emphasized its ongoing commitment to increasing ultra-Orthodox enlistment while respecting their religious practices and tailoring service conditions accordingly. As part of a broader push that began last summer, the army is nearing completion of distributing 24,000 draft notices to Haredi men. An estimated 70,000 ultra-Orthodox males are currently considered eligible for military service.
For the first time, initial draft notices are also being sent to all Israelis upon reaching age 16.5 — including Haredim, who were previously excluded — though actual enlistment begins at 18.
Despite a current need for 10,000 new troops — 70% of whom are intended for combat roles — the IDF says it can only absorb around 3,000 additional ultra-Orthodox soldiers this year due to the need for tailored accommodations. This would supplement the approximately 1,800 Haredi men who already enlist each year.
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