The Israeli military announced that three new F‑35I stealth fighter jets arrived from the United States to Israel early Sunday, raising the Israeli Air Force’s total of fifth-generation aircraft to 48.
The jets are part of Israel’s initial acquisition of 50 F‑35s. An additional 25 were ordered from U.S. contractor Lockheed Martin in 2024, and are expected to arrive starting in 2028.
This ongoing delivery of advanced military aircraft comes amid continued U.S. support for Israel’s defense. Washington remains Israel’s largest military aid provider, committing around $3.8 billion annually under a memorandum of understanding valid through 2028. Much of this funding is provided through the Foreign Military Financing program, which allows Israel to acquire U.S.-made weapons and systems.
Since the start of the genocide in Gaza in October 2023, the U.S. has delivered at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel, according to an academic report combining data from the Biden and Trump administrations. This aid includes major weapons, munitions, and equipment that have supported Israeli attacks during the genocide.
Under President Trump, U.S.-Israel military ties remained strong, featuring major arms sales and approvals of weapon packages worth billions of dollars.
In 2025 alone, Trump’s administration notified Congress of plans to sell nearly $7 billion in arms, including Apache helicopters and armored vehicles, after lifting a previous suspension on such deliveries.
