JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

The Israeli army began a mass demobilization of reserve forces Thursday across all fronts -- the first such movement since October 2023, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

It said Israel has begun a large-scale reduction of reserve forces, signaling a shift from wartime operations to an intensive security routine along borders.

The paper cited the army that said about two and a half reserve brigades will be withdrawn from defensive missions, without specifying the deployment areas or which fronts are affected.

It added that by the end of the week, two reserve brigades on the northern border will be replaced by regular army units, while battalions from the Givati and Kfir brigades will take over from reserve forces in the West Bank.

The report noted that the army has redeployed hundreds of regular soldiers from elite units in Gaza to the West Bank division after months of fighting, without providing additional details.

Hundreds of thousands of reserve soldiers have taken part in Israel’s wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Israel’s public broadcaster reported last week that a Knesset Research and Information Center study documented 279 suicide attempts among Israeli soldiers.

Israel has killed close to 69,000 victims, mostly women and children, and injured more than 170,000 in a brutal assault in Gaza since October 2023, before the offensive came to a halt under a ceasefire deal.