Israel’s weapons exports reach a record high with sales doubling in the past 5 years

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli weapons exports reached a record high of more than $19 billion last year, a 30% increase from 2024, Israel’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

More than half of 2025’s sales were “mega-deals” valued at $100 million or more, the ministry said, adding that sales have more than doubled in the last five years, despite widespread criticism of Israel’s conduct in its wars in Gaza, with Hezbollah and with Iran.

It did not identify any of the buyers.

Countries that have vowed to shun Israeli weapons makers are nonetheless quietly placing orders, according to industry officials. Experts say governments look to Israel because its weapons are battle-tested and they’re able to see in real time that the munitions and systems work.

“There is a clear and unmistakable thread connecting the (army’s) battlefield achievements across all fronts, the extraordinary capabilities of Israel’s defense industries, and the success of Israeli defense exports around the world,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz. He said the growing figures reinforce Israel’s position as a leading defense technology power and carry a responsibility to keep innovating.

One area Israel’s Defense Ministry says will be a future priority for innovation is taking down drones, which has proven challenging during the war with Iran. Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems calibrated for spotting high-speed missiles and can be mistaken for birds or planes.

This year’s Defense Tech Expo in Tel Aviv reflected the growing international interest in Israeli weapons, with manufacturers promoting arms and other equipment shaped by the country’s recent conflicts. But it also highlighted the tension between showcasing the military technology and the political debate surrounding its use, with event protesters decrying the widespread destruction of Gaza as a testing lab for Israeli weapons.

Israel’s Defense Ministry says it uses its equipment to defend the country and its people, and denies that it uses battlefields as testing grounds.

More than a quarter of the sales last year were missile, rocket, and air defense systems, as in the year prior, said the defense ministry. There was also a surge in observation and optronics systems, it said. Optronics is a branch of electronics dealing with optical, infrared or ultraviolet radiation, and is used in applications such as rifle sights.

A March report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said that for the first time, Israel has surpassed the United Kingdom in its share of global arms exports, making it the world’s seventh-biggest supplier.