Spain cancels third major defense deal with Israel as trade ban takes effect

A German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft carrying a Rafael pod, in August 2025

Oded Yaron reports in Haaretz on 25 September 2025:

Spain canceled another arms deal over the past weekend with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems – valued at €207 million (around $242 million) – for advanced navigation and targeting pods for the country’s Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, Haaretz has learned.

This latest cancellation adds to a string of recent terminations worth hundreds of millions of euros, including agreements for anti-tank missiles, advanced artillery systems and ammunition.  Under the deal signed last year, Rafael was to supply about 45 advanced Lightning V pods to the Spanish Air Force.

Last Monday, Spain also canceled a €700 million ($820 million) contract to purchase PULS rockets from Israel’s Elbit Systems, which Spain calls SILAM, under a deal signed in October 2023 that would have involved Spanish companies Escríbano and Expal in local production.

Spain canceled a €237 million ($277 million) deal to purchase Spike missiles from Rafael, and in April it scrapped a €6.6 million ($7.7 million) contract for 9mm bullets from Israel Weapon Industries.

The pods are equipped with electro-optical sensors, including a laser designator and infrared sensors, assisting them in navigation and enabling target detection, tracking and ultimately attacking targets by day, night and in harsh weather conditions. The new version Spain sought to acquire also includes synthetic-aperture radar for high-resolution scanning, imaging and mapping.

On Wednesday, a law imposing an embargo on Israel officially came into effect after being announced earlier this month by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez amid escalating measures against Israel. Among other provisions, it prohibits the export or import of weapons and dual-use technologies to or from Israel and bans the transport of such equipment through Spain.

However, the law allows the cabinet to grant exceptions if enforcing the embargo would harm Spain’s general national interests. It also prohibits the transit of fuels that could be used by the Israeli Defence Forces through Spanish ports, though certain types of jet fuel are exempted.

The law also bars the import of products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and forbids their promotion or advertising.

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