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US tops global arms exports; Israel ranks eighth

The Jewish state accounted for 3.1% of international weapons sales between 2020 and 2024, while also being the 15th-largest importer.

Israel Aerospace Industries CEO Boaz Levy gives an interview at the Israeli stand during the International Defence Exhibition Idex in Abu Dhabi, on Feb. 17, 2025. Photo by Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images.
Israel Aerospace Industries CEO Boaz Levy gives an interview at the Israeli stand during the International Defence Exhibition Idex in Abu Dhabi, on Feb. 17, 2025. Photo by Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images.

The United States remains the world’s largest arms exporter, increasing its global market share to 43% between 2020 and 2024, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Israel ranked eighth, accounting for 3.1% of global arms sales, while also being the 15th-largest importer.

Monday’s report highlights a shift in U.S. arms exports, with Europe surpassing the Middle East as the largest recipient for the first time in more than two decades, largely due to the war in Ukraine. Despite this, Saudi Arabia remains America’s No. 1 customer.

Israel’s arms industry continues to be a key player, supplying major buyers such as the United States, India, Germany, Morocco, the United Kingdom and the Philippines. The country’s imports, nearly all from the U.S. (66%) and Germany (33%), included a notable $18.8 billion deal for F-15 fighter jets in 2024.

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