Scrolling through social media or listening to political debates, you’ll hear a familiar claim repeated again and again: the United States gives billions of dollars in aid to Israel and gets little in return. That idea misses a much bigger picture. The relationship between the two countries is not one-directional. It is a working partnership that produces significant economic, technological, and security gains for the United States.

Economically, in 2025, total trade between the two nations was roughly $34.4 billion. That places Israel among America’s top trading partners despite being a country slightly smaller than New Jersey. Investment tells a similar story. Last year, Israeli and Israeli-owned companies invested more than $24 billion in the United States. Over the last decade, total Israeli investment in the U.S. has exceeded $318 billion, averaging close to $32 billion per year. That investment translates into factories, research centers, and supports over 250,000 American jobs across the country.

Israeli technology also benefits Americans in everyday life. Israeli drip irrigation helps U.S. farmers grow crops with less water and fertilizer. Medical innovations such as PillCam are used in hospitals across the country, improving patient care and saving lives. Israeli companies working in water and clean energy partner with American cities and utilities, helping make infrastructure more efficient and sustainable.

Despite these contributions, critics often point to U.S. military aid to Israel. The United States provides about $3.3 billion to Israel annually, along with additional funding for joint missile defense programs. But much of that money is required to be spent on American-made equipment, supporting U.S. defense jobs and manufacturing. By the end of the decade, nearly all of it will be spent in the United States.

Most importantly, the U.S.-Israel partnership protects American lives. The Israeli Defense Forces operate on the frontlines against many of the same threats facing the United States, particularly the Iranian regime and its network of proxies. Since the attacks on September 11, 2001, cooperation with Israel has helped strengthen security at American airports and ports, and the two countries work closely on cybersecurity, emergency response, and counterterrorism strategy.

For decades, Iran and its proxies have targeted the United States and its allies, from the 1979 hostage crisis in Tehran to the 1983 Hezbollah bombing in Lebanon that killed 280 American service members, to attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and across the region. More recently, the Iranian regime has launched dozens of drone and missile strikes against U.S. military positions across the Middle East. As Israel confronts these threats directly, it is not only defending itself. It is also weakening a shared adversary before those threats reach American forces or the U.S. homeland.

In June 2025, leading up to Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. provided the Israeli Air Force with a list of Iranian air defenses it wanted to be dismantled. These included Iranian S-300 and S-400 missile batteries, clearing the way for American military equipment such as B-2 stealth bombers. By prioritizing these targets, Israel prevented the loss of expensive U.S. air assets by ensuring they weren’t flying into an active, high-risk environment. Unfortunately, most Western media fails to credit Israel for having done the dangerous and difficult work to clear the way for American military success.  

Additionally, following U.S. strikes on Iran in February 2026, Israel provided critical real-time intelligence that allowed U.S. bases in the region, specifically those in Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan, to intercept incoming retaliatory ballistic missiles. Because of Israel’s advanced tracking and early-warning systems, U.S. Patriot batteries were pre-positioned before Iranian missiles even left Iran’s airspace. This significantly limited U.S. casualties. Furthermore, Israeli cyber units (Unit 8200) neutralized dangerous malware and cyber attacks aimed at the U.S. Department of Defense. By going on the offensive against Iranian servers before they could launch their cyber warfare, Israel effectively acted as a digital shield for American civilian and military infrastructure.

Yes, the United States provides Israel with significant military assistance. That support is not only beneficial to Israel, but also serves American interests. The alliance supports American industry, strengthens U.S. defense capabilities, and reinforces a partnership that delivers clear strategic value.

The U.S.-Israel relationship is built on shared interests and mutual benefit. It supports American workers, strengthens key industries, advances critical technologies, and helps protect American lives. This is not a one-sided relationship. It is a strategic partnership that continues to serve both nations in a complex and often dangerous world.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)