Israel’s weapons procurement committee has rubber stamped a multi-billion dollar deal to acquire two additional combat squadrons of advanced US-made fighter jets, further arming a military already accused by the United Nations and human rights groups of committing war crimes in Gaza. The decision, announced on Sunday, will add a fourth squadron of F-35I stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin and a second squadron of F-15IA warplanes from Boeing to the Israeli Air Force’s rapidly expanding fleet. The deal, which forms part of a staggering 350 billion shekel ($118 billion) defence expansion plan, was hailed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a reinforcement of Israel’s “overwhelming air superiority”.
The deal, described as part of the regime's 'Shield of Israel' plan, is designed to ensure decades of unchallenged aerial domination. The F-35I multi-role stealth fighters, known as the "Adir", provide the capability to penetrate any air-defense system in the region. The F-15IA, a "beast" designed for long-range precision strike, is tailor-made for deep-penetration missions against strategic targets, including those deep inside the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a chilling boast, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the intended target of these weapons of death, stating: "Our pilots can reach anywhere in the skies of Iran and are ready to do so, if needed."
This massive transfer of military hardware is inextricably linked to the ongoing massacre in Gaza and the unprovoked war against Lebanon. The Israeli Air Force has conducted some of the most intense aerial bombardment campaigns in modern history, reducing entire city blocks to rubble and killing tens of thousands of civilians. By approving these contracts, the United States continues to provide the bombs, the planes, and the political cover for a campaign the International Court of Justice has likened to plausibly committing genocide. Despite a theoretical "ceasefire," data shows that Israeli forces have killed hundreds of Palestinians since October 2025 alone. These new aircraft will not be locked in a hangar; they are intended to be used to further the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the illegal land grabs in the occupied West Bank.
Despite Netanyahu’s populist rhetoric of achieving "Blue-and-White" weapon independence, the deal exposes the occupation state’s complete reliance on foreign, particularly US, manufacturing. The government has simultaneously approved a massive 350 billion shekel ($118 billion) boost to the defense budget over the next decade. This massive spending spree is not about defense; it is about maintaining a system of occupation and apartheid. While millions in Gaza suffer without food, water, or medicine, the Netanyahu government is throwing billions at American defense contractors to build "groundbreaking aircraft" to ensure no neighboring country can ever help the Palestinians whose land they are stealing.