Tel Aviv — Israel has agreed to buy 25 F-35 fighters jets from the United States, the Defence Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
The ministry said this is the third squadron of Lockheed Martin fighter jets of this type to be integrated into the Israeli armed forces.
The Israeli Air Force will then have 75 of these stealth jets at its disposal.
Delivery to Israel is scheduled to begin in 2028, at a rate of three to five fighter jets per year. The costs would amount to around $3 billion.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that the procurement of the third F-35 squadron "reflects the strength of the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States."
"This capability has a significant impact on arenas both near and far. At time when some of our adversaries aim to undermine our ties with our greatest ally, we only further strengthen our alliance. This sends a powerful message to our enemies across the region," Gallant added.
In view of the severe destruction in the Gaza Strip, there have recently been frequent international protests against arms deliveries to Israel.
Last month, US President Joe Biden threatened Israel with suspending the delivery of some US weapons if Israel's army invaded densely populated urban centres in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Since the start of the Gaza war in response to the attack on Israel by militants from the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and other groups on October 7, the Israeli armed forces have become increasingly reliant on US weapons, the news portal Axios reported.
Gallant had pledged in a letter to the US government that US weapons would only be used in accordance with international law.
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