JERUSALEM (VINnews)-The Israel Defense Forces drafted 360 ultra-Orthodox men this week, with 231 joining combat units and another 131 entering combat support positions, the military said.

The new recruits include soldiers assigned to the Hasmonean Brigade, the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the Kfir Brigade, the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers Brigade’s 202nd Battalion, the ground defense unit at Nevatim Airbase and Border Police units. The combat support roles include fighter jet technician positions.

Military officials said additional Haredi troops from the current draft cohort are expected to enlist over the next two weeks.

Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men ages 18 to 24 are currently eligible for service but have not enlisted, according to the IDF. The military has said it urgently needs about 12,000 new recruits — primarily combat soldiers — due to the strain on forces from the ongoing multi-front war.

The IDF described the draft as driven by “operational necessity” and said it is working to expand Haredi-specific units, implement protocols for service conditions and open paths for ultra-Orthodox soldiers to advance into command and officer roles.

“Our goal is to enable Haredi soldiers to perform meaningful military service while fully preserving their ultra-Orthodox way of life,” the military said.