Israel allocates $825M to replace defleted missile interceptors

Israel allocates $825M to replace defleted missile interceptors

The Israeli government on Sunday allocated $825 million to purchase “urgent security supplies,” amid reports of growing deficit in interceptor missiles as a joint war with the US against Iran entered its third week, local media reported.

“The government approved a special budget of 2.6 billion shekels, nearly $825 million, for the purchase of urgent security supplies,” Channel 12 said.

The outlet said the move comes “amid the immediate need to provide an operational response in a war with Iran.”

The government is expected to amend its 2026 spending plan to fund the new purchases, the channel said.

The move came a day after American news website Semafor, citing US officials, reported that Israel is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as the war with Iran continues.

The website said that the US has been aware for months that Israel has a low capacity, adding that Washington is not running low on interceptors of its own.

The channel said the cost of the ongoing war on Iran for Israel has reached 22 billion shekels ($7 billion), including 12 billion shekels ($3.81 billion) spent on munitions and 5 billion shekels ($1.59 billion) in operational costs for combat aircraft.

Last year’s 12-day war against Iran cost Israel only 20 billion shekels ($6.4 billion), according to the channel.

Hostilities have escalated since Feb. 28 when Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran, killing around 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.