Israel denies reports of missile interceptor shortages

Israel’s defence capabilities come under scrutiny once again as the country denies reports of a shortage of missile interceptors, according to Middle East Eye via Haaretz and Semafor on March 15th.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected claims that Israel told the US it was running low on ballistic missile interceptors amid the US-Israeli war on Iran and Lebanon.

Reportedly, Israeli defence systems were already depleted following the 2025 strikes on Iran, when large numbers of interceptors were used to block incoming missiles.

In December 2025, Israel announced the completion of the “Iron Beam“, an air defence system designed to enhance the interception of drones and other projectiles.

Despite Saar’s rejection of these claims, it was reported on March 7th that the US had approved a multi-million-dollar munitions sale to Israel, skipping the congressional review that US law requires for major arms sales.

On March 5th, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth affirmed US support for Israel’s war on Iran in a phone call with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz.

US-Israeli defence ties are long-standing, with the Pentagon announcing a $8.6 billion contract to supply the Israeli Air Force with F-15 fighter jets in December 2025.

The US is Israel’s largest arms supplier, accounting for 53% of Israel’s total conventional arms imports in 2023, while Germany supplies the remaining 47%.

However, Israel’s defence ties are not limited to the US, as countries including Germany, India and Morocco have also reached defence partnerships with Israel.

Reportedly, Israel views defence cooperation with Morocco as a strategic gateway to North and West Africa, where military ties would allow Israel to expand its security reach beyond the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf.

Military ties have persisted despite concerns that defence contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Elbit Systems, Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), are complicit in crimes against humanity and war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Since 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed over 71,000 people, while Jewish settlers in the occupied territories have also ramped up violence to force Palestinians off the land so they can establish and expand illegal Jewish settlements.

Jewish settlers have also sought to re-establish settlement outposts in Gaza, despite previous Gaza settlements being dismantled in 2005 under then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s settler disengagement plan.

In his role as Foreign Minister, Sa’ar has encouraged the settlement of Jews from Western countries in Israel, which is part of a broader plan to maintain a Jewish demographic majority in Israel.

Middle East Eye via Haaretz and Semafor, Maghrebi.org