Israel has given final approval for ‌a ⁠plan to ⁠purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 ⁠and F-15Ia ‌fighter jet aircraft from Lockheed ⁠Martin and Boeing in a deal worth tens of ‌billions of shekels (Israeli currency), the defence ⁠ministry said on Sunday, as reported by Reuters.

The deal comes at a time when the United States and Israel have been involved in a two-month-long war with Tehran, which started with joint airstrikes, and is currently stuck at a peace deal that involves reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 is the most advanced node in a 21st-century security network-centric architecture. It has the ability to securely connect high-tech platforms to share information across every domain – air, land, sea, space and cyber.

12 nations operate the F-35 fleet, with almost 1,300 aircraft in service.

In 2025, US delivered 191 F-35s in 2025, surpassing the previous delivery record of 142 jets. The present annual production is running at a pace five times faster than any other allied fighter currently in production.

The F-35 has proven its performance in real-world combat operations, including suppressing Iran's air defenses during Operation Midnight Hammer, recording nearly 5,000 mishap-free flight hours during a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B deployment and eliminating Russian drones over Poland.