Israel seeks greater military self‑reliance, Netanyahu vows to cut US arms dependence

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a push to expand Israel’s defence autonomy, stating “we need our own autonomous weapons system” and urging a reduction of reliance on U.S. military aid.

He made the remarks during a meeting with reserve officers in the occupied West Bank, reiterating a goal of ending U.S. arms support within a decade. Current U.S. assistance totals about $3.8 billion a year, roughly 15 % of Israel’s defence budget.

The initiative comes amid ongoing regional tensions and follows a recent U.S.–Iran agreement viewed by analysts as favoring Tehran, underscoring Netanyahu’s desire to boost domestic research, development and production in areas such as drones, missile‑defence, cyber and electronic warfare.