Military Strength: Israel vs Syria
Israel (ranked #9 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Syria (#56) on the Global Military Index. Israel fields 178,000 active troops vs 269,000 for Syria. Israel's $47B defense budget is 19:1 that of Syria ($2B). In the air, Israel operates 534 aircraft including 284 combat jets, while Syria fields 414 with 225 fighters. Israel operates a 49-ship naval fleet; Syria has no navy. On the ground, Israel deploys 1,300 main battle tanks vs 365 for Syria. Israel is a nuclear power with 90 warheads; Syria has no nuclear arsenal.
| Global Military Index | 63.6 (#9) ◉ |
| 🪖 Military personnel | 178,000 ◉ |
| – Reserve troops | 465,000 ◉ |
| – Paramilitary forces | 8,000 ◉ |
| 🛩️ Military aircraft | 534 ◉ |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 284 ◉ |
| – incl. bombers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. helicopters | 130 ◉ |
| ⚓️ Military ships | 49 ◉ |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. submarines | 5 ◉ |
| 🚛 Main battle tanks | 1,300 ◉ |
| 💥 Nuclear warheads | 90 ◉ |
| – incl. deployed | 0 ◉ |
| Global Military Index | 43.6 (#56) ◉ |
| 🪖 Military personnel | 269,000 ◉ |
| – Reserve troops | 0 ◉ |
| – Paramilitary forces | 0 ◉ |
| 🛩️ Military aircraft | 414 ◉ |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 225 ◉ |
| – incl. bombers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. helicopters | 153 ◉ |
| ⚓️ Military ships | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. submarines | 0 ◉ |
| 🚛 Main battle tanks | 365 ◉ |
| 💥 Nuclear warheads | 0 ◉ |
🇮🇱 Israel Global Military Index
63.2
Global Rank: #9
| 🪖 Manpower (15%) | 80.1 | Active, reserve & paramilitary: 404400 effective |
| 🛡️ Ground Firepower (20%) | 69.2 | Main battle tanks: 1300 |
| ⚓ Naval Power (20%) | 46.3 | Weighted by ship type: carriers, submarines, destroyers... |
| ✈️ Air Power (25%) | 63.9 | Weighted by aircraft type: combat, bombers, helicopters... |
| ☢️ Nuclear Deterrent (10%) | 49.0 | Strategic arsenal: 90 warheads |
| 💰 Defense Budget (10%) | 71.8 | $46.5B annual military spending |
🇸🇾 Syria Global Military Index
43.4
Global Rank: #56
| 🪖 Manpower (15%) | 74.7 | Active, reserve & paramilitary: 169000 effective |
| 🛡️ Ground Firepower (20%) | 57.0 | Main battle tanks: 365 |
| ⚓ Naval Power (20%) | 0.0 | Weighted by ship type: carriers, submarines, destroyers... |
| ✈️ Air Power (25%) | 62.5 | Weighted by aircraft type: combat, bombers, helicopters... |
| ☢️ Nuclear Deterrent (10%) | 0.0 | No declared nuclear capability |
| 💰 Defense Budget (10%) | 52.3 | $2.5B annual military spending |
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| Population | 9.8 million ◉ |
| GDP | $513.6 billion ◉ |
| GDP per capita | $52,642 ◉ |
| Military Budget | $46.5 billion ◉ |
| Share of GDP in Milex | 8.8% ◉ |
| Share of Govt Expenditures | 20.0% ◉ |
| Military spends per capita | $4989 ◉ |
| Population | 21.0 million ◉ |
| GDP | $12.0 billion ◉ |
| GDP per capita | $572 ◉ |
| Military Budget | $2.5 billion ◉ |
| Share of GDP in Milex | 4.1% ◉ |
| Share of Govt Expenditures | 13.6% ◉ |
| Military spends per capita | $110 ◉ |
Israel Geography
| Land Area | 20,330 km² ◉ |
| Coastline Length | 273 km ◉ |
Syria Geography
| Land Area | 183,630 km² ◉ |
| Coastline Length | 193 km ◉ |
Military Forces Chart
Economic Metrics Chart
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Israel or Syria?
Syria has approximately 269,000 active military personnel compared to Israel's 178,000, giving Syria a 1.5:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Israel or Syria?
Israel operates 284 combat aircraft compared to Syria's 225. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Israel or Syria?
Israel has a larger navy with 49 vessels compared to Syria's 0 ships. Israel operates 5 submarines while Syria has 0.
Which country spends more on defense, Israel or Syria?
Israel has a larger defense budget at $46.5 billion (19:1 more) compared to Syria's $2.5 billion annually.
Do Israel and Syria have nuclear weapons?
Israel possesses nuclear weapons with approximately 90 warheads, while Syria does not have nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Israel and Syria compare?
Israel operates 1,300 main battle tanks compared to Syria's 365. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.