Israel's defense budget has reached a record $61 billion, while its long-term military buildup plan has grown by about $17 billion in just one year. With the war continuing, threats evolving and seeking to reduce its reliance on US military aid, Israel faces a costly military overhaul, raising one central question: Where will the money come from?
Barring an escalation in the fragile situation in the Middle East, Delta Air Lines will resume operations in Israel and relaunch its Tel Aviv-New York route on Sept. 7, 2026, Israel Hayom has learned.
The defense pact signed in Mecca by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan is accelerating the regional arms race. It pushes normalization with Riyadh further out of reach and positions Ankara as a threat on par with Iran. Israel needs to respond along two parallel axes: its existing Mediterranean alliance with Greece and Cyprus, and a new counter pact with the United Arab Emirates and India.
The proposal was made to another Arab country during discussions over a possible agreement with Israel, with censorship restrictions prohibiting the publication of the countries’ identities. The revelation comes amid shifting regional alliances and the creation of a new Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani defense pact.
London and Paris often speak in the name of Western values. But the demographic and political changes taking place within their own societies should prompt a debate over the future of their nuclear arsenals.
