JERUSALEM, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Israel's defense exports totaled 14.8 billion U.S. dollars, the highest on record and a 13 percent increase from the previous year, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
About half of the contracts signed were valued at over 100 million dollars, with European countries accounting for 54 percent of total deals, making the continent Israel's largest defense export partner.
Air defense systems made up the largest share of exports, comprising 48 percent of total deals in 2024, up from 36 percent in 2023. Satellite and space systems also saw significant growth, rising to 8 percent of exports from 2 percent the year before.
It was the fourth consecutive year in which defense exports reached a new high. "Within five years, Israeli defense exports have more than doubled," the ministry said.
The ministry said that since the start of Israel's Gaza offensive in October 2023, local defense industries shifted to emergency mode, increasing production for the military while continuing to supply foreign clients. It said the use of Israeli systems in recent conflicts had boosted international demand.
Israeli airstrikes have left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins and killed at least 54,510 people, according to health authorities in the enclave. ■
