JERUSALEM, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Israel will add 350 billion shekels (about 118.9 billion U.S. dollars) to its defense budget and has approved the purchase of two new squadrons of F-35 and F-15IA fighter jets, officials said Sunday.
The Defense Ministry confirmed final approval for the aircraft procurement from U.S.-headquartered companies Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The deal, worth tens of billions of dollars, is the first step in a decade-long military buildup under the new budget, the ministry said in a statement.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the procurement stems from "operational lessons" learnt from the war with Iran.
"Israel's multi-arena fighting in the Middle East requires us to accelerate force build-up," Katz said, adding that the aircraft procurement was a "central component" of the "Magen Israel" program to ensure the Israel Defense Forces maintains a "sustained qualitative edge."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that Israel would also develop "new groundbreaking aircraft" that would be "game changers."
Netanyahu said the new budget aims to boost Israel's capacity to produce munitions and missiles "without being dependent on other countries."
The moves came after some countries vowed to restrict sales of certain munitions and weapons parts to Israel following its "devastating onslaught" in Gaza, and amid media reports of shortages of U.S.-supplied interceptors. ■
