Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
This image released by the Defense Ministry on July 17, 2025, shows an Arrow air defense system launching a missile during the Israel-Iran war in June. (Defense Ministry)
The Defense Ministry says it has signed a “large-scale” order of Arrow air defense system interceptors, with production of the key armaments set to ramp up.
Under the deal, Israel Aerospace Industries will supply a “significant additional quantity of Arrow interceptors,” the ministry says, adding that IAI will “significantly accelerate the serial production.”
Israel’s Arrow 2 and 3 long-range missile defense systems were used extensively during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran last month, as well as amid repeated Houthi attacks from Yemen. There had been speculation that Israel’s supplies of the interceptors had been significantly depleted by the attacks.
Anti-missile interceptors are seen in the sky above northern Israel amid an Iranian ballistic missile attack, June 18, 2025. (Ayal Margolin/Flash90)
In a statement, the director general of the Defense Ministry, Amir Baram, says, “accelerating the production rate of the Arrow and other critical systems is a central component of the ministry’s strategy to expand production capabilities and improve operational readiness for the continuation of the war and future campaigns.”
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 17, 2025
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