Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed plans to purchase two new squadrons of advanced fighter jets from the United States, stressing that the move will significantly strengthen the country's air superiority.
The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that this plan envisages the purchase of one squadron of F-35I aircraft and another of F-15IA aircraft, as part of a significant increase in the defense budget.
In an official statement, Netanyahu announced that Israel will add about 350 billion shekels (approximately $118 billion) to its defense budget over the next decade. According to him, the goal is not only to strengthen military capabilities, but also to increase independence from foreign arms manufacturers.
He also emphasized Israel's ambition to develop domestically produced advanced aircraft in the future.
The Israeli prime minister also spoke about current security challenges, highlighting the growing threat from drones, especially in areas of southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
He announced that he has ordered the launch of a special project to deal with this danger.
"It will take time, but we are working on it," Netanyahu said, warning that addressing the drone threat is not a quick process.
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