Growing tensions between Israel and Iran have once again raised questions about how the two countries compare militarily. Both nations possess significant military capabilities, but their strengths lie in different areas, from manpower and missile programmes to advanced air power and defence spending.
According to the 2026 Global Firepower Index, Israel is ranked 15th among 145 countries, while Iran stands at 16th, placing the two nations close in overall conventional military capability. The index evaluates armed forces using factors such as manpower, equipment, logistics and defence resources.
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Despite their similar rankings, their military strengths and priorities differ significantly.
Iran’s numbers vs Israel’s technological advantage
Iran has a significant edge when it comes to the number of troops. Iran has 610,000 active military personnel, accompanied by 350,000 reservists and 220,000 paramilitary personnel. Therefore, Iran’s military forces are among the largest in the region.
On the other hand, Israel’s active military personnel stand at 170,000. However, Israel has a large number of reservists, amounting to 465,000 personnel.
Air power remains one of Israel’s key strengths. Israel operates over 600 aircraft, including around 240 fighter jets and about 50 attack helicopters, along with specialised surveillance and intelligence aircraft.
Iran operates more than 550 aircraft, including around 190 fighter jets. However, much of Iran’s air fleet consists of older aircraft, and the country has increasingly focused on missile and drone programmes.
Differences in ground forces and defence spending
Iran’s ground forces are larger in terms of equipment. Estimates indicate that Iran operates around 1,700–2,000 tanks, tens of thousands of armoured vehicles, and more than 1,500 rocket launchers capable of long-range strikes.
Israel maintains about 1,300 tanks and a smaller number of armoured vehicles but places strong emphasis on precision weapons, mobility and advanced targeting systems.
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Defence spending also highlights the difference between the two countries. Israel’s military budget is estimated at about $30.5 billion, nearly double Iran’s defence spending of around $15.45 billion.
Analysts say Israel’s technological advantage, combined with its close security ties with the United States, shapes the overall balance of power in the region. Iran, on the other hand, relies more on missile capability, drones and a large network of allied groups across the Middle East.
