Israel's military has called up tens of thousands of reservists for its planned expanded offensive in Gaza, which an official said entails the "conquest" of the Palestinian territory.

With one of the best equipped armies in the world, what forces are available to Israel?

A large part of the adult population has completed military service and they are required to remain reservists until at least the age of 41, depending on rank and branch of service.

But it is not compulsory for reservists to respond to the call-up.

Israel's army has 169,500 soldiers, both conscripts and professionals, according to the Military Balance annual report by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

It also has 465,000 reservists.

In January 2024, 295,000 reservists and 45,000 volunteers joined to take part in the war triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, according to the latest........

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