Israeli arms exports have reached an all-time high for the fifth consecutive year, hitting more than $19 billion in 2025 driven by sales of missile, rocket and air defense systems, the defense ministry announced Tuesday.
Israel is among the world’s leading arms exporters. Its forces have fought on several fronts since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack triggered the war in Gaza, including against Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and alongside the U.S. against Iran.
“Israel’s all-time defense export record has been broken for the fifth consecutive year, with $19.2 billion in 2025 – a nearly 30 percent surge compared to the previous year, more than doubling in five years and quadrupling in a decade,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
Missile, rocket and air defense systems were the top exports, accounting for 29% of deals, it said, adding that a “notable surge was recorded in observation and optronics systems.”
European countries purchased 36% of Israel’s defense exports, while countries in the Asia-Pacific region bought 32% and Middle Eastern and North African nations accounted for 15% of the sales.
“There is a clear and unmistakable thread connecting the [Israel Defense Forces] battlefield achievements across all fronts, the extraordinary capabilities of Israel’s defense industries, and the success of Israeli defense exports around the world,” defense minister Israel Katz was quoted as saying in the statement.
In April, the ministry said it planned to accelerate production of Arrow missile interceptors amid the war with Iran.
The announcement came after some news reports raised questions about how long Israel’s interceptor stocks would last, with some analysts pointing to possible shortages of top-tier Arrow interceptors in particular.
CBS/AFP
