Iran vs Israel: Military Comparison A side-by-side breakdown of Iran and Israel’s military capabilities shows stark contrasts. Iran leads in active personnel (610,000 vs. 169,500), artillery (6,798+ vs. 530), and submarines (19 vs. 5), while Israel dominates in defense budget ($27.5bn vs. $10.3bn) and advanced combat aircraft, including US-made F-35 stealth fighters. Source: The Military Balance 2024, SIPRI