As Conflict Rages, These Are the Middle East’s Most Powerful Militaries

Conflict in the Middle East shows no signs of abating as an attack by Israel killed 65 Palestinians on Monday, March 24, 2025. Last week, Israel broke a ceasefire with Hamas, and since then, hundreds of people have died in Gaza. At this time, the death toll in Gaza has climbed to over 50,000 people. […] The post As Conflict Rages, These Are the Middle East’s Most Powerful Militaries appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Mar 25, 2025 - 14:11

As Conflict Rages, These Are the Middle East’s Most Powerful Militaries

Conflict in the Middle East shows no signs of abating as an attack by Israel killed 65 Palestinians on Monday, March 24, 2025. Last week, Israel broke a ceasefire with Hamas, and since then, hundreds of people have died in Gaza. At this time, the death toll in Gaza has climbed to over 50,000 people. Egyptian officials have announced they are working to renew the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

The Middle East is known for its complex geopolitical dynamics. In fact, it is often seen as one of the most unstable regions in the world. With conflict ever present, Middle Eastern nations have built up strong militaries for defense amid consistent tension and fighting. 24/7 Wall St. is taking a close look at the Middle East nations with strong military forces. (Also see the Middle Eastern countries with the largest tank armies.)

24/7 Wall St. compiled the following list of countries in the Middle East with the strongest military presence. We reviewed data from the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value, the more powerful the country’s military. Additionally, we included other data such as active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power.

(This article was updated on March 25, 2025, to reflect recent news regarding Israeli strikes against Palestine.)

Why Are We Covering This Now?

world map of middle east countries Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Sinai, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv in close up focus.

The current conflict between Israel and Palestine has caused great conflict and tension within the Middle East. A recent Israeli strike on Gaza has resulted in more civilian deaths. Understanding the military dynamics in the Middle East is essential given the region’s historical and ongoing geopolitical tensions. For decades, the Middle East has been shaped by conflicts, religious divisions, and territorial disputes, making it a hotspot for conflict. Whether it’s Iran’s growing influence or the strategic role of countries like Saudi Arabia and Israel, the military forces in this region heavily influence global security and energy markets.

Here is a look at the strongest militaries in the Middle East:

17. Lebanon

Active military personnel: 60,000
Reserve military personnel: 35,000
Paramilitary personnel: 65,000
Total military personnel: 160,000
Total military aircraft: 81
Total helicopters: 69
Total military vehicles: 4,522
Total tanks: 204
Total artillery units: 458
Total navy ships and submarines: 69
Military strength score and world rank: 2.4283 – #118 out of 145
Total Population: 5.3 million (1.8 million are fit to serve in the military)

16. Afghanistan

Active military personnel: 0
Reserve military personnel: 0
Paramilitary personnel: 80,000
Total military personnel: 80,000
Total military aircraft: 17
Total helicopters: 11
Total military vehicles: 6,555
Total tanks: 0
Total artillery units: 0
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.2715 – #115 out of 145
Total Population: 39.2 million. (8.6 million are fit to serve in the military)

15. Bahrain

Bahrain Soldier. Soldier with flag Bahrain, Bahrain flag on a military uniform. Camouflage clothing

Active military personnel: 18,400
Reserve military personnel: 110,000
Paramilitary personnel: 1,500
Total military personnel: 129,900
Total military aircraft: 120
Total helicopters: 74
Total military vehicles: 2,598
Total tanks: 180
Total artillery units: 64
Total navy ships and submarines: 58
Military strength score and world rank: 1.7163 – #86 out of 145
Total Population: 1.6 million (714,788 are fit to serve in the military)

14. Yemen

Active military personnel: 66,700
Reserve military personnel: 0
Paramilitary personnel: 20,000
Total military personnel: 86,700
Total military aircraft: 177
Total helicopters: 61
Total military vehicles: 4,800
Total tanks: 55
Total artillery units: 26
Total navy ships and submarines: 38
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4692 – #81 out of 145
Total Population: 31.6 million (8.9 million are fit to serve in the military)

13. Jordan

Active military personnel: 100,500
Reserve military personnel: 65,000
Paramilitary personnel: 35,000
Total military personnel: 200,500
Total military aircraft: 265
Total helicopters: 148
Total military vehicles: 24,148
Total tanks: 1,365
Total artillery units: 283
Total navy ships and submarines: 27
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4651 – #80 out of 145
Total Population: 11.0 million (3.0 million are fit to serve in the military)

12. Oman

Omani flag waving in the wind view from Jabrin castle walls, Bahla, sultanate Oman

Active military personnel: 42,600
Reserve military personnel: 100,000
Paramilitary personnel: 10,000
Total military personnel: 152,600
Total military aircraft: 128
Total helicopters: 31
Total military vehicles: 5,019
Total tanks: 154
Total artillery units: 165
Total navy ships and submarines: 22
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4448 – #78 out of 145
Total Population: 3.8 million. (1.3 million are fit to serve in the military)

11. Kuwait

Active military personnel: 72,000
Reserve military personnel: 24,000
Paramilitary personnel: 7,500
Total military personnel: 103,500
Total military aircraft: 144
Total helicopters: 60
Total military vehicles: 4,409
Total tanks: 367
Total artillery units: 74
Total navy ships and submarines: 123
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4261 – #77 out of 145
Total Population: 3.1 million (1.4 million are fit to serve in the military)

10. Qatar

Active military personnel: 66,550
Reserve military personnel: 15,000
Paramilitary personnel: 5,500
Total military personnel: 87,050
Total military aircraft: 228
Total helicopters: 67
Total military vehicles: 5,544
Total tanks: 99
Total artillery units: 58
Total navy ships and submarines: 123
Military strength score and world rank: 1.0789 – #63 out of 145
Total Population: 2.5 million (486,164 are fit to serve in the military)

9. Syria

Active military personnel: 170,000
Reserve military personnel: 50,000
Paramilitary personnel: 50,000
Total military personnel: 270,000
Total military aircraft: 452
Total helicopters: 153
Total military vehicles: 14,550
Total tanks: 2,720
Total artillery units: 2,695
Total navy ships and submarines: 47
Military strength score and world rank: 1.0026 – #60 out of 145
Total Population: 22.9 million (12.7 million are fit to serve in the military)

8. United Arab Emirates

Active military personnel: 65,000
Reserve military personnel: 130,000
Paramilitary personnel: 12,000
Total military personnel: 207,000
Total military aircraft: 560
Total helicopters: 246
Total military vehicles: 12,253
Total tanks: 354
Total artillery units: 282
Total navy ships and submarines: 79
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8083 – #51 out of 145
Total Population: 10.0 million (4.9 million are fit to serve in the military)

7. Iraq

Active military personnel: 193,000
Reserve military personnel: 0
Paramilitary personnel: 100,000
Total military personnel: 293,000
Total military aircraft: 371
Total helicopters: 197
Total military vehicles: 39,872
Total tanks: 848
Total artillery units: 1,727
Total navy ships and submarines: 68
Military strength score and world rank: 0.7441 – #45 out of 145
Total Population: 41.2 million (14.0 million are fit to serve in the military)

6. Saudi Arabia

Active military personnel: 257,000
Reserve military personnel: 0
Paramilitary personnel: 150,000
Total military personnel: 407,000
Total military aircraft: 914
Total helicopters: 262
Total military vehicles: 20,694
Total tanks: 1,485
Total artillery units: 3,253
Total navy ships and submarines: 57
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3235 – #23 out of 145
Total Population: 36.0 million (17.2 million are fit to serve in the military)

5. Israel

Active military personnel: 170,000
Reserve military personnel: 465,000
Paramilitary personnel: 35,000
Total military personnel: 670,000
Total military aircraft: 612
Total helicopters: 146
Total military vehicles: 43,407
Total tanks: 1,370
Total artillery units: 950
Total navy ships and submarines: 67
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2596 – #17 out of 145
Total Population: 9.0 million (3.2 million are fit to serve in the military)

4. Egypt

Active military personnel: 440,000
Reserve military personnel: 480,000
Paramilitary personnel: 300,000
Total military personnel: 1,220,000
Total military aircraft: 1,080
Total helicopters: 338
Total military vehicles: 77,596
Total tanks: 5,340
Total artillery units: 3,046
Total navy ships and submarines: 140
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2283 – #15 out of 145
Total Population: 109.5 million (37.7 million are fit to serve in the military)

3. Iran

Active military personnel: 610,000
Reserve military personnel: 350,000
Paramilitary personnel: 220,000
Total military personnel: 1,180,000
Total military aircraft: 551
Total helicopters: 129
Total military vehicles: 65,765
Total tanks: 1,996
Total artillery units: 2,630
Total navy ships and submarines: 101
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2269 – #14 out of 145
Total Population: 87.6 million (41.2 million are fit to serve in the military)

2. Pakistan

Active military personnel: 654,000
Reserve military personnel: 550,000
Paramilitary personnel: 500,000
Total military personnel: 1,704,000
Total military aircraft: 1,434
Total helicopters: 352
Total military vehicles: 50,523
Total tanks: 3,742
Total artillery units: 3,990
Total navy ships and submarines: 114
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1711 – #9 out of 145
Total Population: 247.7 million (84.2 million are fit to serve in the military)

1. Turkey

Active military personnel: 355,200
Reserve military personnel: 378,700
Paramilitary personnel: 150,000
Total military personnel: 883,900
Total military aircraft: 1,069
Total helicopters: 502
Total military vehicles: 55,104
Total tanks: 2,231
Total artillery units: 2,785
Total navy ships and submarines: 186
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1697 – #8 out of 145
Total Population: 83.6 million (3.6 million are fit to serve in the military)

The post As Conflict Rages, These Are the Middle East’s Most Powerful Militaries appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..