Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has approved the 2026 national budget while the country remains engaged in war with Iran. The total budget amounts to about 245 billion dollars, with more than 45 billion dollars allocated to the military sector. This represents an increase of over 10 billion dollars compared to the previous year.

The new defense allocation is more than double that of the 2023 budget, which had been passed in February before the outbreak of the Gaza war that year. Ahead of the vote, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the moment as a “historic turning point” for the country.

The expanded military funding underscores Israel’s heightened defense priorities amid ongoing regional conflict, reflecting a significant shift in national spending priorities.