Does the UK sell arms to Israel?

Last updated: 20 February 2026

Since 2015, the UK has licensed at least £500 million worth of military exports to Israel.

There are also a number of additional open licences in place that the government does not publicly report on, so the figure is likely to be much higher.

Even though the government has suspended a small number of arms licences, there are still hundreds remaining.

The UK must not continue to be complicit in Israel’s illegal war.

The UK provides approximately 15% of the components in the F-35 fighter jets which are used in airstrikes across the occupied Palestinian territory.

This includes the rear fuselage and active interceptor system, ejector seats, aircraft tyres, refuelling probe, laser targeting system, and the fan propulsion system.

The UK government has said it only supplies these parts to Israel indirectly, via a global programme led by the US company Lockheed Martin. The UK is a programme partner, and supplies parts produced by BAE Systems and other companies.

The UK government claims this global supply chain means that parts cannot be tracked. This is untrue. The legal obligation to stop supplying parts that risk being used to violate international law would apply regardless.

• The UK produces components for Israeli armed and surveillance drones. The parts are made by UK-linked companies and then assembled in Israeli factories. These drones are ever-present above Gaza and the West Bank, used both for spying missions and in attacks on civilians.
• The UK military provides intelligence from spy flights over Gaza and the West Bank to enable Israeli military operations. They also allow the US to use UK military bases on Cyprus to do the same, which facilitates Israeli attacks on Palestinians.
• The UK also trains Israeli military personnel in Britain, but the government keeps details of these missions secret.

If a UK company wants to export military goods to another nation, they need to apply for a government licence first.

A licence can't be granted, or should be revoked, if there's a clear risk that arms sold by the UK could be used to violate human rights or international law by the country they have been sold to.

In September 2024, the UK government finally recognised the risk that UK arms are being used in violation of international law in Gaza. As a result, they announced some restrictions on direct arms sales to Israel.

However, suspending a small proportion of over 360 licences is not enough. The government created a loophole for F-35 fighter jets. It has argued it will continue to indirectly supply parts to Israel via the global programme led by the US - for reasons of international peace and security.

Additionally, the UK continues to support Israel militarily with intelligence and training.

The government must not prioritise perceived security or economic advantage over the UK’s legal and moral obligations.

This selective application of the law has contributed to devastating and irreparable harm to Palestinians.

Yes. In every previous escalation of violence in Gaza and against Palestinians in the region, the UK has at least revoked some licenses or otherwise suspended arms transfers to Israel.

• In 2014, the government reviewed and suspended twelve export licences to Israel following the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
• In 2009, licences for naval guns were revoked due to their use against civilians in Gaza.
• And during escalations in violence in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s the UK imposed complete arms embargoes on Israel because of violations of international law.

The UK government has also stopped arms sales to other countries. In 2019, it was forced to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia following a court ruling. This was due to violations of international law by Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Temporary pauses in Israel’s military onslaught do not negate the UK’s legal and moral obligations.

There is an ongoing risk of further escalations of violence and violations of international law across Gaza and the West Bank – as a result of Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled as unlawful.

The UK has obligations under domestic and international law, to stop issuing licences for arms sales if there is a clear risk they might be used to commit serious violations of international law.

The ICJ found that Israel’s acts could pose a risk of genocide in Gaza, and war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed.

The Court has also ruled that states must not aid or assist Israel in its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory, including through economic or trade dealings.

The UK government must end their complicity, and stop being an ally to Israel’s atrocities.

Here are a few ways you can take action and stay up to date:

• Sign our petition calling on the UK government to stop ALL arms sales to Israel now
• Read Oxfam GB's briefing on the humanitarian impact of arms sales
• Learn more about UK arms sales to Israel from the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT)