World outraged by Israel, yet buys its weapons: 'Proof of Israeli ingenuity'

Israel's defense exports hit a record $19.222 billion in 2025, marking a nearly 30% increase from the previous year and a more than threefold rise compared to a decade ago. Defense Minister Israel Katz attributed this success to the "enormous respect and trust" the international community places in Israel's defense system, calling it a testament to "Israeli strength, ingenuity, and ability to think outside the box."

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The fact that Israel continues to break export records, even in the third year of war, testifies to the enormous respect and trust that the international community has for the Israeli defense system.

Katz highlighted the military's performance in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen as demonstrations of this strength. However, citing operations in Gaza and Lebanon in particular may raise controversy, as significant portions of the international community have expressed outrage over the impact of Israel's military actions in these areas.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense's report does not specify the countries receiving its arms exports, instead categorizing them by global regions. This lack of transparency makes it unclear whether nations highly critical of Israel's civilian casualty rates and infrastructure damage are simultaneously purchasing Israeli weaponry. Attempts to obtain specific data, including for Poland, were unsuccessful, with a ministry spokesperson stating that they cannot provide information beyond the published report.

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This strength, in his opinion, the Israeli army and security services have shown in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen.

With its 2025 export value, Israel likely ranks as the sixth or seventh largest global arms seller. While definitive rankings often rely on five-year averages from institutions like the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel's performance in 2025 suggests it may have surpassed Italy, which saw a 19.1% increase in its arms exports during the same period. The United States remains the largest exporter, accounting for 42% of the global market, followed by France at 9.8%.

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There is no breakdown by country in the report, and we cannot provide data beyond the report.