Comparison of Iraq vs Israel Military Strength

GAZA – Iraq and Israel has a long history of hostility, which still occurs today. Both countries also have respected military powers. Moreover, both countries have long and tiring war experience.

Iraq participated alongside other Arab states in the war against the newly created state of Israel during the Arab–Israeli War in 1948. Iraq was the only Arab state not to sign the armistice agreement that ended violent hostilities in 1949.

According to prcprague, technically, the two countries are still at war and have not yet established diplomatic relations. Iraq does not recognize the independent state of Israel; therefore the core problem has not been resolved.

After the Arab-Israeli War, Israel allied with Iran in 1950 which had its own rivalry with Iraq. To further balance against the Iraqi government, Israel supports the Kurdish minority in Iraq. The alliance with the Shah of Iran lasted until his overthrow in 1979. During the period from 1950 to 1979, Iraq participated in both major wars (1967 and 1973) against Israel but was defeated both times.

With the takeover of power by the nationalist Ba’ath Party in Iraq in 1968, Iraq began to pursue more expansionist policies. Leading member of the Ba’ath Party, and later President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, sought to achieve regional hegemony in the Middle East. These efforts were supported by rising oil prices in the 1970s which allowed the Iraqi government to invest more in the military and petrochemical industries, thereby accelerating the arms race with Israel. After the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was signed in 1979, Iraq took a leading role in the Arab world.

Israel considered Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s rule as a major security threat. Israel destroyed the Osirak nuclear facility with an airstrike in 1981 due to fears of the Iraqi regime’s development of nuclear weapons. Iraq did not reply, because at that time it was focused on the Iran-Iraq War. During the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq attacked Israeli territory with Scud missiles.

Until 2011, no country had resolved the core issue regarding the existence of the state of Israel. This was strongly opposed by the Iraqi state even though Saddam Hussein and his government were overthrown in 2003. Since 1949, the two countries have been involved in a mutually hostile relationship that has at times led to violent militarized interstate disputes.

In the Gaza war, Iraq was not directly involved. However, Iraqi militias funded and supported by Iran often carry out attacks on Israeli defense bases. That certainly disturbs Israel’s stability.

Comparison of Iraq vs Israel Military Strength

Israeli Military Strength

Photo/AP

According to Global Fire Power, Israel is ranked 17th out of 145 countries in the world in terms of military strength. Israel has an army of 170,000 people with a reserve army of 465,000.

Israel’s air power cannot be doubted because it has 241 combat aircraft supported by 48 combat helicopters. Apart from that, Israel also has a fleet of 14 refueling aircraft.