🛡️ ISRAEL EXPANDS DEFENSE-TECH STRATEGY AS OFFICIALS WARN ON TURKEY, IRAN AND REGIONAL TRADE ROUTES
🕑 Published: August 7, 2026 · 3:55 PM Israel time
🛡️ ISRAEL EXPANDS DEFENSE-TECH STRATEGY: Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram met with CEOs of some 20 leading Israeli defense-tech and startup companies, saying independence in critical weapons components is a central strategic objective alongside preserving Israel’s qualitative and technological edge.
Defense Ministry orders to defense-tech startups reached approximately NIS 1 billion in the first half of 2026, double the same period last year. The number of defense-tech companies working with the ministry since the start of the war has risen to 322.
The ministry’s strategy also calls for developing new technological capabilities, expanding defense exports and strengthening strategic partnerships with the U.S. and other countries. Baram said Israel cannot allow its operational capabilities to depend on supply chains it does not control, stressing that both startups and major defense manufacturers are necessary. The ministry plans to support the sector through investment, government financing, long-term contracts and exports, viewing defense-tech as both a security capability and a driver of economic growth.
⚠️ CHIKLI WARNS OF EXPANDING TURKISH PRESENCE IN SYRIA: Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said: “Today, we must understand that Turkey is building military bases deep inside Syria. Turkish warships are present at the Port of Tartus. There are also Turkish military bases near Palmyra. In addition, educational programs in Syria are increasingly being run by Turkish institutions. This is extremely significant. Beyond the steps President Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan are taking in Syria, they also seek to establish a Turkish military presence along the Israeli–Lebanese border”.
Chikli also said: “Macron stabbed us in the back and then twisted the knife”.
⚠️ COHEN: ISRAEL NOT BOUND BY AN IRAN DEAL THAT FAILS TO GUARANTEE ITS SECURITY: Energy Minister Eli Cohen said: “Even if the US and Iran reach an agreement, if Iran attempts to revive its nuclear program or advance its ballistic missile program, we will strike. We are not bound by any agreement that does not fully guarantee Israel's security”.
⚓ SHIPPING SOURCES QUESTION IRAN-OMAN HORMUZ PLAN: Shipping industry sources told Reuters that the proposed Iran-Oman Strait of Hormuz transit plan is largely unworkable. According to the sources, Iran is seeking to charge transit fees equal to 5–7% of a cargo's value. Paying those fees could violate U.S. sanctions and invalidate war-risk insurance coverage, exposing shipowners to significant legal and financial risks.
📍 ISRAEL PUSHES REGIONAL LAND CORRIDOR TO BYPASS MARITIME THREATS: Cohen said: “We are working to ensure that within three or four years, the Iranian threat to the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthis' threat in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait will no longer be relevant. If you look at the map, it is possible to establish a land corridor connecting Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait to the Mediterranean and onward to Europe, and we are working to ensure that this route passes through Israel. Turkey wants the route to pass through its territory, and Egypt may seek the same”.
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