When Israeli defense officials approached Massivit last year about using its unique 3D printers to make military drone parts, CEO Yossi Azarzar jumped at the chance.

Although the Israeli company had been producing large set pieces and other designs for the likes of Disney, DreamWorks and Netflix, the opportunity to instead quickly churn out large drone parts for the military was too good to ignore.

“I stopped thinking about Hollywood sets,” Azarzar said. “The entertainment industry is a nice customer — defense is a necessity.”

Business has been booming for the country’s arms sector, despite widespread condemnation of the country’s campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran in the years since the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish state triggered a regional war.

Countries that have vowed to shun Israeli weapons makers are nonetheless quietly placing orders, according to industry officials. And manufacturers, including some like Massivit with no previous military know-how, can show that their innovations are being continually combat-tested and improved.

According to the Defense Ministry, Israeli weapons sales have more than doubled over the past five years, with a record high of nearly $15 billion in 2024. While the ministry hasn’t released overall 2025 figures, leading Israeli weapons makers, including Elbit and Israel Aerospace Industries, both reported double-digit sales growth last year.

More than half of the Israeli arms industry’s sales are for missiles, rockets and air-defense systems. For the first time, Israel has surpassed the United Kingdom in its share of global arms exports, making it the world’s seventh-biggest supplier, according to a March report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

“This tremendous achievement is a direct result of the successes of the [army] and defense industries… The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner in it,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Solid sales, despite public criticism

This year’s Defense Tech Expo in Tel Aviv reflected the growing international interest in Israeli weapons, with manufacturers........

© The Times of Israel