The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has launched an investigation after new recruits received an anti-government text message from an official phone number.
According to Israel's Channel 14 News, the message referred to the recent war with Iran, saying: "We are proud of the pilots – the heroes of the people of Israel – for the victory in Iran. In contrast, politicians and mouthpieces who incited and divided the nation day after day are being exposed in all their disgrace."
The message also reportedly included a link to a YouTube video that accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of being a "coalition of division, evasion [of military service], and the devastation of October 7."
This is understood to refer to the compromise Netanyahu made with the Charedi parties in his coalition to water down the measures enforcing IDF enlistment among the strictly-Orthodox, as well as claims that the government failed to adequately prepare for the Hamas attacks in October 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.
The video concluded with the message "We will not forget; you will not escape," while displaying an image of Netanyahu's head.
The clip had previously been shared on social media platforms by prominent activists opposing the government.
The report noted that the new conscripts had previously received legitimate messages about their recruitment from the same number and that the military is investigating whether there was a security breach.
In an official response, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated: "The message in question does not come from an official source within the Air Force."
However, it appears to be indicative of a growing trend of resentment among some quarters of the armed forces as the Gaza War approaches its second anniversary.
In 2023, thousands of IDF reservists threatened to refuse service in protest against the Netanyahu government's judicial reform proposals, which have since been shelved.
Around 11,000 reservists, including 1,000 Air Force personnel, announced they would refuse to serve, raising concerns about the potential damage to the military's readiness to respond to threats.
And, in April this year, around 1,000 current and former personnel – largely retired reservists –signed a letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and new hostage return deal. The IAF confirmed at the time that it had sacked the signatories who were still actively serving.
In March 2023, the prime minister described soldiers' refusal to report for duty as an existential threat, saying it "threatens the foundation of our existence, and it must have no place in our ranks".
