The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday announced that it was advancing changes to its structure and expanding several units, as part of lessons learned from Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror onslaught.

The decisions, approved by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, include bolstering border and air defense units, reviving a defunct armored brigade, establishing a new infantry brigade, reorganizing its training command, and increasing the “strategic capabilities” of the Navy.

It comes amid efforts by members of Israel’s coalition to advance legislation for the broad exemptions from the army for the ultra-Orthodox community, who already largely do not serve. The government has also failed to approve plans suggested by the IDF to extend the length of mandatory service and raise the exemption age for reserve military service.

The military said Wednesday that the “force build-up plan and broad changes in the structure and organization of the army” were aimed at “adapting the IDF to future challenges and addressing the challenges and lessons of the current war.”

The effort, led by Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai and Planning and Force Design Directorate chief Vice Adm. Eyal Harel, are not meant to replace the army’s multi-year plan, which is a significantly longer process.

Some of the moves were supposed to be implemented within months, while others may take several years, and could face setbacks due to the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Zamir met with troops in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, telling them that “the State of Israel cannot exist on the basis of a minimal force, but rather needs broad defense margins. In addition, more standing army and reserve forces will ease the burden on reservists.”

“The campaign is not over, and we are required to continue acting to bring back all our hostages and to defeat the enemy. We will work to shorten the campaign and transition to new combat formats that will allow us to meet our objectives and reduce the burden on the fighters,” he added.

As part of the changes to border defenses, the military said it plans to bolster local security teams and regional defense squads, including by providing additional training and equipment.

Additionally, the IDF said it would be expanding its units on the borders with Lebanon and Syria. The 474th “Golan” Regional Brigade — responsible for the Golan Heights — and 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade — responsible for Mount Hermon and Mount Dov — would both have additional forces and better equipment, to bring them up to the level of other light infantry brigades, so they can fight on their own if need be.

On the Jordan border, the IDF has been establishing a new eastern regional division, dubbed the Gilad Division, which is set to operate from the Israel-Jordan-Syria tri-border area in the north down to the Ramon Airport in southern Israel, encompassing the territory currently handled by the Jordan Valley and Yoav regional brigades.

The Gilad Division, part of the Central Command, will begin initial operations on August 1 and later expand its area of responsibility. Israel also plans to upgrade its fence on the border with Jordan in the coming years.

The division was set to be staffed by standing army troops as well as members of new light infantry brigades based on volunteer reservists.

So far, the new volunteer brigades have recruited over 10,000 soldiers and commanders. Five brigades are planned, and they are based on where the soldiers reside. In addition to operations on the Jordan and West Bank borders, the division’s members would also be ready to respond to sudden events in their respective regions, as they are slated to keep their weapons and equipment at their homes.

Following the departure of Maj. Gen. David Zini, who was nominated to head the Shin Bet security agency, from the military, the IDF is restructuring the Training Command, which he had headed.

The Training Command was being downgraded to a division, which will be headed by Brig. Gen. Sharon Altit — currently filling in Zini’s former role.

The new Training Division will encompass the School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders, the Armored Corps training school, the Bahad 1 officers’ school and other training facilities in the IDF Ground Forces.

Until now, in wartime those training schools would turn into fighting brigades and be deployed under various other divisions. The new change would see the chief of the Training Division, currently Altit, command those units himself during ground operations.

Bahad 1 is also reorganizing, and will have 10 battalions instead of six, split up among the different professions that cadets are training for — combat officers and non-combat roles.

The officers’ school until now turned into the 261st Brigade during wartime. The IDF said it would be splitting the 261st Brigade from Bahad 1, and it would become a new reserve infantry brigade, under the 252nd Reserve Division.

Meanwhile, the IDF said it was reviving the 500th Armored Brigade, which was closed in 2003. Starting in 2026, the IDF said it would establish the new brigade’s tank battalions.

The military also said it plans to reestablish three Armored Corps’ patrol companies, a type of unit that was shuttered several years ago.

Also, the IDF said it plans to establish a fifth standing army combat engineering battalion, in addition to the 607th Battalion, which was established recently during the war.

Another Home Front Command Search and Rescue Battalion was also being established, and the IDF said it was looking at forming a new reserve battalion for ultra-Orthodox soldiers.

Additionally, the IDF said the Israeli Air Force would be further expanding its aerial defense array, and potentially add a new attack drone unit.

Meanwhile, the military said it also seeks to expand the Navy to become a “long-range strategic arm,” similar to the IAF, and operate at distant locations with new capabilities.