Sri Lanka, May 3 -- Israel gave final approval for a plan to purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15IA advanced fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin and Boeing in a deal worth tens of billions of dollars, the defence ministry said on Sunday (May 3).

The deal, approved by Israel's Ministerial Committee on Procurement, is a first step in a 350 billion shekel (US$119 billion) plan to bolster Israel's military and "strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security", it said.

It added that the new squadrons will serve as a cornerstone of the military's long-term force development, addressing regional threats and preserving Israel's strategic air superiority.

"Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, we ...