SCOOP: Russia, US lead 78-country roster of 'olim' recruits in latest IDF draft

More than 2,500 immigrants from around the world are joining the Israel Defense Forces as part of the July-August 2026 draft cohort, alongside hundreds of lone soldiers and recruits from every sector of Israeli society, according to figures shared exclusively with JNS by an IDF military official.

The largest numbers of immigrant recruits are from Russia (512), the United States (489), Ukraine (410), Ethiopia (259) and France (192).

The cohort includes 392 new olim (immigrants)—246 men and 146 women—along with 2,127 veteran olim. Combined, the immigrants come from 78 countries around the world.

The inductees also include 449 “lone soldiers”—233 men and 216 women—who are immigrant enlistees with no immediate family in Israel.

The IDF said the cohort includes recruits born in countries including Armenia, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Estonia, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Kenya, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nigeria, Portugal, Slovakia, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Beyond its international makeup, the draft cohort also reflects the diversity of Israeli society, with Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, Bedouin, Circassian and other recruits entering military service.

“The July-August 2026 draft cohort brings thousands of new recruits to the IDF from different countries, communities and religions,” the official told JNS.

According to the IDF, men account for 61% of the recruits in the current draft cohort, while women make up 39%.

The official said the diverse backgrounds represented in the latest intake underscore the IDF’s role as a national institution during one of the most challenging periods in Israel’s history, as the military continues to operate on multiple fronts while defending the country’s civilians.

Get the latest updates in our WhatsApp group.

Test yourself on one question pulled from JNS reporting. New puzzles daily.