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Topic: SecurityBlog Brand: The BuzzRegion: Middle EastTags: Defense Spending, Hamas, Iron Dome, Israel, and SecurityIsrael’s Defense Budget Soared in 2024 as War Raged April 30, 2025By: Maya CarlinShareShare this link on FacebookShare this page on X (Twitter)Share this link on LinkedInEmail a link to this pagePerhaps Israel’s greatest challenge is its geographical position, surrounded by hostile adversaries that hope for its demise.In 2024, military expenditure across the globe increased more sharply than at any time since the end of the Cold War more than three decades ago. Defense spending increased worldwide, and Europe and the Middle East saw particularly steep jumps in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion and the Israel-Hamas war.
Since October 2023, Israel’s multi-front war against its Iranian-backed adversaries has cost a pretty penny. In fact, military spending in Israel increased by 65 percent, equivalent to nearly $47 billion. The last time the Jewish state saw such a rise in defense spending was in 1967, when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) thwarted a coalition of Arab states during what is known as The Six-Day War.
According to the Times of Israel, “Israel is among the top 15 countries in the world for military expenditure, accounting for 1.7%. The three largest are the US (37%,) China (12%) and Russia (5.
5%). Together, the 15 nations account for 80% of expenditure around the world.”What is Israel Spending Its Defense Budget On?Perhaps Israel’s greatest challenge is its geographical position, surrounded by hostile adversaries that hope for its demise.
Constantly bombarded with projectiles from Iran and its regional proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Jewish state has heavily depended on its multitiered air defense apparatuses to defend its borders. The Iron Dome air defense system is arguably the crux of Israel’s security. Capable of intercepting missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and rockets launched from distances from 2.
5 miles to 43.5 miles, the Iron Dome’s range enables it to effectively counter the majority of projectiles fired toward Israel. Since these proxy groups have launched tens of thousands of munitions toward Israel since the October 2023 massacre, the Iron Dome has been hard at work.
According to Israeli media outlets, the cost of a single Iron Dome interception is roughly $50,000. With this price tag in mind, the Iron Dome clearly contributed in part to Israel’s increased 2024 defense-related spending.When it comes to the IDF’s offensive operations, Israel’s fleet of formidable fighter jets has been essential.
In 2024, the Biden administration greenlit the sale of up to fifty F-15I jets, vehicles, and ammunition in a sale valued at more than $20 billion. Shortly after, Israel’s Defense Ministry penned a deal with the United States to procure its third squadron of F-35I fighter jets in a deal worth $3 billion that will be financed through U.S.
military aid to Israel. The majority of strikes targeting Iranian-linked assets in hostile territories carried out by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) since 2023 have been accomplished through the nation’s fourth and fifth-generation fighter fleets. The IAF flies specially modified variants of both the American-made F-15 Eagle and F-35 Lightning II platforms.
Maintaining the arsenal of munitions required for both aircraft types to carry out airstrikes is a costly expenditure. Considering the nature of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, defense spending in 2025 is likely to remain just as high as the previous year.About the Author: Maya CarlinMaya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel.
She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Elyasaf Jehuda / Shutterstock.comThe post Israel’s Defense Budget Soared in 2024 as War Raged appeared first on The National Interest..
