Israel Signs $5.2 Bln Deal to F-15 Fighter Jets from Boeing

FILE PHOTO: A F-15 fighter jet takes off during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel, June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A F-15 fighter jet takes off during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel, June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
TT
20

Israel Signs $5.2 Bln Deal to F-15 Fighter Jets from Boeing

FILE PHOTO: A F-15 fighter jet takes off during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel, June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A F-15 fighter jet takes off during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel, June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo

The Israeli defense ministry said on Thursday it had signed an agreement to acquire 25 next generation F-15 fighter jets from Boeing Co.

It said the $5.2 billion agreement was part of a broader package of US aid approved by the US administration and Congress earlier this year and included an option for 25 additional aircraft.

The United States has provided crucial military support to Israel as it has battled Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and traded fire with Iran.
The Biden administration recently warned Israel that if it did not facilitate the delivery of more aid to Gaza, US laws may force the administration to curb some of its military support.
The State Department said this week that Israel had yet to sufficiently improve aid deliveries ahead of a mid-November deadline.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the wars in the Middle East without saying how he plans to do it.

Delivery of the new F-15IA aircraft will begin in 2031, with 4-6 aircraft to be supplied annually, said the Israeli defense ministry.

The aircraft will be equipped with weapons systems integrated with existing Israeli weapons as well as having increased range and payloads.

"These advantages will enable the Israeli Air Force to maintain its strategic superiority in addressing current and future challenges in the Middle East," the ministry said in a statement.

"This F-15 squadron, alongside the third F-35 squadron procured earlier this year, represents a historic enhancement of our air power and strategic reach - capabilities that proved crucial during the current war," the director general of the defense ministry, Eyal Zamir, said in the statement.

Zamir said that the government has secured procurement agreements worth nearly $40 billion since the onset of the war in Gaza that began Oct. 7, 2023.

"While focusing on immediate needs for advanced weaponry and ammunition at unprecedented levels, we're simultaneously investing in long-term strategic capabilities," he said.

For Boeing, the F-15 agreement is the second major deal this year. In August, flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines, signed a deal with Boeing for the purchase of up to 31 737 MAX aircraft worth as much as $2.5 billion, beating out rival Airbus.

Ido Nehushtan, president of Boeing Israel, said the company's relationship dates back to Israel's establishment and "will continue working with the US and Israeli governments to deliver the advanced F-15IA aircraft through standard military procurement channels."



Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain’s Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands

A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
TT
20

Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain’s Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands

A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)
A picture taken in Seville on May 14, 2025 shows a large black cloud after a fire in a chemical distribution building that led authorities to ask nearly 80,000 residents to stay home. (AFP)

An explosion at a chemical plant near the Spanish city of Seville sent up a huge pillar of smoke as authorities urged nearby residents to stay indoors, but no injuries were reported, emergency services said Wednesday.

Officials sent messages to around 80,000 residents recommending that they wear face masks or close their windows.

The explosion occurred midday in an industrial park in the municipality of Alcalá de Guadaíra, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Seville’s city center.

Emergency services cleared personnel from the plant site.

Authorities have not said what chemicals are at the plant or who owns it.

Recent incidents Spain's industrial, electric and transport infrastructure has faced issues recently.

Over the weekend, a fire at a chemical factory in northeastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns.

On April 28, a massive power outage hit Spain and Portugal. Authorities are still investigating but have ruled out a cyber attack or sabotage.

That was followed by major train disruption between Madrid and Seville, caused by thieves who took copper cabling from a trail line.