JERUSALEM, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 15.4 percent at an annual rate in the second quarter of 2026, rebounding sharply from a contraction in the previous quarter, according to a national accounts report issued by the country's Central Bureau of Statistics on Sunday.
The Israeli economy contracted by 2.2 percent in the first quarter, when economic activity was disrupted by the war with Iran, which lasted from Feb. 28 until a ceasefire on April 8.
Analysts said much of the strong second-quarter growth was driven by the resumption of economic activity that had been postponed during the war.
Business activity expanded by 16.6 percent at an annual rate in the second quarter, reversing a 3.1 percent decrease in the previous quarter, while private consumption increased by 14.7 percent after falling 4.6 percent.
The recovery was also supported by a 35.2 percent annualized increase in exports of goods and services, compared with a 3.7 percent decline in the first quarter. ■
