24/7 Wall St. Key Takeaways:
- Israel and Iran have different strengths, reflecting their different priorities.
- Iran leverages its vast natural resources and manpower, while Israel excels in advanced technology and strategic defense systems.
- Also, read βThe Next NVIDIA.β
The ongoing geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran have brought their military capabilities into sharp focus. Both nations play critical roles in the Middle Eastβs security landscape, with Israel relying on advanced technology and defense systems while Iran boasts significant manpower and natural resources.
Both nations are constantly evolving their military forces to become the dominant force in the area.
This article draws upon data from Global Firepower to provide a detailed comparison across various categories, from manpower and financial resources to land, air, and naval power. Weβll take a look at all of these metrics to see how these nations are balanced. Weβll also explain where the statistics donβt make the balance of power clear, such as one country having a high number of lower-tech tanks compared to another countryβs high-tech capabilities.
Why Weβre Covering This
Both Iran and Israel have large economies, and both countries spend tonsΒ of money on defense. For these reasons, keeping up with these opposing powers is essential. Weβve covered what a full-fledged war between Israel vs. Iran would look like, and many of the numbers play a big role in those ideas.
Total Population
- Iran: 87,590,873 (Rank 17)
- Israel: 9,043,387 (Rank 92)
Iran wins in total population by 78,547,486. With Iranβs population nearly 10 times that of Israel, it has a larger potential recruitment pool for its military, but this doesnβt guarantee an advantage given Israelβs high technological reliance and compulsory service.
Available Manpower
- Iran: 49,050,889 (Rank 15)
- Israel: 3,798,223 (Rank 92)
Iran wins in total manpower by 45,252,666.
Fit-for-Service Personnel:
- Iran: 41,167,710 (Rank 13)
- Israel: 3,156,142 (Rank 90)
Iran wins in fit-for-service personnel by 38,011,568.
Population Reaching Military Age Annually
- Iran: 1,401,454 (Rank 16)
- Israel: 126,607 (Rank 86)
Iran wins the number of people reaching military age annually by 1,274,847.
Active Personnel
- Iran: 610,000 (Rank 8)
- Israel: 170,000 (Rank 31)
Iran has 440,000 more active personnel than Israel. Iranβs significantly larger active military suggests greater manpower in a conflict, but Israelβs forces are trained for rapid deployment and high-tech combat scenarios.
Reserve Personnel
- Iran: 350,000 (Rank 20)
- Israel: 465,000 (Rank 16)
Israel has 115,000 more reserve personnel than Iran.
Paramilitary Forces
- Iran: 220,000 (Rank 10)
- Israel: 35,000 (Rank 26)
Iran has 185,000 more paramilitary individuals than Israel.
Defense Budget
- Iran: $9.95 billion (Rank 33)
- Israel: $24.4 billion (Rank 19)
Israel outspends Iran in defense by $14,445,549,000. Israelβs higher military spending as a percentage of GDP highlights its prioritization of security and advanced weaponry, while Iran, despite a lower percentage, spreads its resources across larger conventional forces.
Purchasing Power
- Iran: $1.32 trillion (Rank 18)
- Israel: $393.86 billion (Rank 48)
Iran hasΒ muchΒ more purchasing power than Israel.
Total Aircraft
- Iran: 551 (Rank 22)
- Israel: 612 (Rank 19)
Israel has 61 more aircraft than Iran. Israelβs advanced air force, equipped with cutting-edge aircraft like the F-35, gives it a decisive edge over Iranβs older and less capable fleet in terms of both offensive and defensive operations.
Fighter Aircraft
- Iran: 186 (Rank 16)
- Israel: 241 (Rank 10)
Israel has 55 more fighter aircraft than Iran.
Attack Aircraft
- Iran: 23 (Rank 31)
- Israel: 39 (Rank 17)
Israel has 16 more dedicated attack aircraft than Israel.
Transport Aircraft
- Iran: 86 (Rank 7)
- Israel: 12 (Rank 40)
Iran has 74 more transport aircraft than Israel.
Helicopters
- Iran: 129 (Rank 32)
- Israel: 146 (Rank 29)
Israel has 17 more helicopters than Iran.
Attack Helicopters
- Iran: 13 (Rank 34)
- Israel: 48 (Rank 14)
Israel has 35 more attack helicopters than Iran.
Tank Strength
- Iran: 1,996 (Rank 12)
- Israel: 1,370 (Rank 18)
Iran has 626 more tanks than Israel. Israelβs more modern and better-maintained tanks provide superior battlefield capabilities despite having fewer tanks overall compared to Iranβs larger but aging fleet.
Armored Vehicles
- Iran: 65,765 (Rank 9)
- Israel: 43,407 (Rank 15)
Iran has 22,358 more armored vehicles than Israel.
Self-Propelled Artillery
- Iran: 580 (Rank 13)
- Israel: 650 (Rank 11)
Israel has 70 more self-propelled artillery than Iran. Iranβs advantage in artillery reflects its reliance on conventional firepower, while Israel emphasizes precision-guided weapons and air superiority to offset such imbalances.
Naval Fleet Strength
- Iran: 101 (Rank 37)
- Israel: 67 (Rank 46)
Iran has 34 more naval vessels than Israel. Iranβs larger navy is tailored for regional dominance in the Persian Gulf, but Israelβs smaller, high-tech navy focuses on securing Mediterranean waters and defending against strategic threats like blockades.
Submarines
- Iran: 19 (Rank 7)
- Israel: 5 (Rank 16)
Iran has 14 more submarines than Israel.
Frigates
- Iran: 7 (Rank 10)
- Israel: 0 (Rank 145)
Iran has seven frigates, while Israel has none.
Airports
- Iran: 319 (Rank 21)
- Israel: 42 (Rank 84)
Israel has 277 fewer airports than Iran.
Merchant Marine Fleet
- Iran: 942 (Rank 20)
- Israel: 45 (Rank 87)
Iran has 897 more merchant marine ships than Israel.
Ports and Terminals
- Iran: 4 (Rank 17)
- Israel: 5 (Rank 16)
Israel only has one more port than Iran.
Oil Production
- Iran: 3.45 million barrels per day (Rank 9)
- Israel: 0
Iran makes several million barrels of oil per day, while Israel makes none.
Oil Reserves
- Iran: 210 billion barrels (Rank 3)
- Israel: 12.7 million barrels (Rank 71)
Iran hasΒ a lotΒ more oil reserves than Israel.
Natural Gas Reserves
- Iran: 33.99 trillion cubic meters (Rank 2)
- Israel: 176 billion cubic meters (Rank 41)
Iran has far more natural gas reserves than Israel.
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