Bank of Israel says Netanyahu’s war costs to reach $112 billion in 2026

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 16 April 2026 12:39 AM

A report issued by the Israeli regime’s central bank estimates that the financial cost of warfare initiated by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet as of October 7, 2023 will reach approximately $112 billion over the 2023-2026 period.

The report filed by the Bank of Israel said the figure pertained to wars waged by the regime on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon as well as the one it launched against Iran between June 13 and 25 last year jointly with the United States.

The figure, it added, did not account for decisions made since February 28, which marked the onset of the regime’s latest bout of unlawful aggression targeting the Islamic Republic.

Separately, Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that even before the latest aggression, the cabinet’s debt-to-GDP ratio was 68 percent. This figure could rise to 72 percent by 2030, the daily added.

Observers commenting on the reports noted that rising levels of debt incurred to finance the regime’s wars and pay up compensations could require either increased capital mobilization by the cabinet or a higher tax burden on Israeli settlers.

The economic strain prompted the regime’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich to sound a stern warning in the days running up to April 7, when a two-week lull was announced by US President Donald Trump in attacks targeting Iran.

According to Smotrich, the economic losses resulting from complete shutdown of the Israeli economy that was brought about since the start of the aggression stood at $3.02 billion every week.