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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday hailed the approval of two new U.S.-made fighter jet squadrons as proof of Israel's "overwhelming air superiority."
He claimed that Israeli pilots "can reach anywhere in the skies of Iran" while pledging a decade-long shift toward domestic weapons production worth 350 billion shekels ($118 billion).
"Israel is stronger than ever, and Israel must always be much stronger than our enemies," Netanyahu said in his statement.
"These aircraft strengthen Israel's overwhelming air superiority, a superiority that was proven in Operation Rising Lion and now in Operation Roaring Lion," he added.
Israel's Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved the plan Sunday, with the deals, valued at tens of billions of shekels, covering full fleet integration into the Israeli Air Force, comprehensive sustainment, spare parts, and logistics support, the Defense Ministry said.
In December 2025, Boeing received an $8.6 billion Pentagon contract for Israel covering 25 new F-15IAs with an option for 25 more.
Netanyahu said Israeli pilots are "prepared to" reach any point in Iranian airspace "if required," directly linking the procurement to Israel's recent military campaigns against Tehran.
The prime minister also disclosed that he had ordered the establishment of a special project to counter the drone threat posed by Iran and its proxy groups, saying he would receive a progress report on the effort.
"It will take time, but we are on it," Netanyahu said, adding, "We will continue to ensure Israel's superiority in all arenas."
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the F-35 and F-15IA acquisitions are central to the "Shield of Israel" plan, designed to give the Israel Defense Forces "a lasting qualitative edge."
Katz said the new aircraft would lead to a significant technological leap, integrating autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defense systems, and Israeli military dominance in space.
"Our mission is clear: to ensure the Israeli army has the tools, capabilities, and strength to operate anywhere, at any time," Katz said.
Netanyahu said the bulk of the expanded 350-billion-shekel defense budget over the coming decade would fund domestic munitions manufacturing, explicitly framing the goal as reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.
"Over the next decade, we will add 350 billion shekels to the defense budget in order to manufacture such weaponry in Israel and not be dependent on foreign suppliers," he said, adding that, "At the same time, we will develop groundbreaking Israeli-made aircraft.
This will change the entire picture."
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