Germany to buy Israeli Heron drones despite Gaza tensions — Bloomberg In a deal worth roughly €1 billion

Germany plans to purchase drones worth nearly €1 billion from Israel despite disagreements over the Gaza Strip, Bloomberg reports.

According to the agency, Berlin intends to acquire three Israeli Heron drones for approximately €930 million.

The deal comes amid growing calls from European allies to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt military operations in Gaza.

The drone purchase is part of a broader package of more than 80 military equipment orders that the German government aims to approve in parliament by the end of the year. These acquisitions include 20 Eurofighter jets and several thousand units of tanks and armoured vehicles.

The proposal involves buying three medium-weight, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance drones that can use high-resolution cameras and radar to operate in daytime or darkness, according to the document. Procurement includes spare parts and training.

The defence ministries of both countries are negotiating the deal. According to a document reviewed by Bloomberg, the three drones will be used for reconnaissance and surveillance, equipped with high-resolution radars and cameras. 

Germany expects the three drones to cost roughly €630 million, and puts operating costs from the arrival of the aircraft in 2028 until 2034 at nearly €300 million, bringing the overall cost to €930 million, according to the document.

By Khagan Isayev