A senior IDF source discussed the encouraging advancements as well as the budget constraints of the army on Tuesday, exactly a week after an IAF airstrike hit Syrian army posts in response to an explosive placed on Israel's border.

"All of the national infrastructure is in the IDF's scopes," reported the source. "The army is preparing for the threats of the enemy, and for all scenarios demanding an immediate attack without time to prepare."

Speaking about the IDF's capabilities, the source noted "we are armed today with the most effective, advanced and, most importantly, precise weapons, that are much faster than in the past."

"If in the (2006) Second Lebanon War a time frame of half an hour was needed to conduct an air strike to take out an immediate threat, today that time frame stands at a mere two minutes," revealed the source.

IDF acquisitions ensure that the army will only continue to improve, according to the source.

"We are about to acquire a new cannon, which not only fires at a rate four times faster than previous cannons, but also its precision and destructive power allow the army to respond immediately to threats, and also to drastically minimize the number of fighters in the cannon battery and unit," emphasized the IDF source.

"We're a very effective army," acknowledged the official. "You can compare the number of fighters under the Israeli air force's brigadier general as opposed to the same general in Western armies to understand how effective we are."

Despite budget cuts, ground maneuvers remain key

The senior captain subtly criticized IDF budget cuts, noting "the budget sword raised against the army forces us constantly to make creative technological solutions that can make operational activities cheaper while conserving human resources, such as in the new cannon. We're losing every fifth person in the standing army, and that isn't easy."

While efforts are being made to streamline the IDF and its chain of command, the source emphasized the importance of a strong presence on the ground.

"It's true there is accurate fire, and quality information," noted the IDF official, "but still it's clear that the topic of ground maneuvers was and remains the greatest preparation need in the army."

Without controlling the ground the IDF will never win a war, reports the source. "Without the exposed chest of the regiment commander standing opposite the terrorist and killing him, we won't be able to finish the fighting, and therefore the need for ground maneuvers is essential."

In closing, the source noted "we need to reach a situation where the amount of time fighting is reduced to minimize the damage to the home front as much as possible. That's our mission and we are preparing for it intensively, even in these days of resource cuts and reserve duty day cuts."