Israel's military spending soared last year amid its war in Gaza and attacks on Lebanon, with expenditure in the wider Middle East and Europe helping to fuel the steepest rise in global levels since the end of the Cold War.
Israel spent 8.8 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the second highest rate globally after Ukraine, according to the latest data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Military expenditure as a percentage of GDP, known as the military burden, is a measure of the relative economic cost of defence for a country.
Israel's military expenditure jumped 65 per cent to $46.5 billion last year, the steepest annual increase since the Arab-Israeli War in 1967. Gaza has been devastated by the Israeli bombardment and ground offensive launched in response to attacks led by Hamas in October 2023. Israel resumed attacks on the enclave in March, after a brief ceasefire collapsed. The Palestinian death toll in the conflict has risen to more than 52,200, Gaza's health authorities say.
Lebanon, which has faced repeated attacks by Israel, recorded a 58 per cent rise in military spending in 2024 to $635 million, after several years of lower spending due to economic crises and political turmoil, the institute's data showed.
"Despite widespread expectations that many Middle Eastern countries would increase their military spending in 2024, major rises were limited to Israel and Lebanon," said Zubaida Karim, a researcher at the institute's military expenditure and arms production programme. "Elsewhere, countries either did not significantly increase spending in response to the war in Gaza or were prevented from doing so by economic constraints."
Iran’s military spending fell by 10 per cent in real terms to $7.9 billion in 2024, despite its involvement in regional conflicts and its support for regional proxies. "The impact of sanctions on Iran severely limited its capacity to increase spending," the institute added.
Saudi Arabia recorded the highest military spending in the Middle East in 2024 and was the seventh biggest globally, the report shows. The kingdom's military spending rose 1.5 per cent to an estimated $80.3 billion, but was still 20 per cent lower than in 2015 when its oil revenue peaked, the institute said.
Military expenditure in the wider Middle East reached an estimated $243 billion in 2024, an increase of 15 per cent from 2023, the data showed.
Surge in global military spending
As Russia's war in Ukraine continues and Israel's assault on Gaza rages on with no sign of relenting, the world's total military spending increased for the 10th consecutive year in 2024.
Last year, it rose 9.4 per cent to $2.718 trillion compared with the previous year, according to the institute's data. That is the steepest annual increase since at least the end of the Cold War, as military spending increased in all regions of the world, with particularly rapid growth in Europe and the Middle East, the report said.
The top five military spenders – the US, China, Russia, Germany and India – accounted for 60 per cent of the global total, with combined spending of $1.635 trillion.
"Over 100 countries around the world raised their military spending in 2024. As governments increasingly prioritise military security, often at the expense of other budget areas, the economic and social trade-offs could have significant effects on societies for years to come," said Xiao Liang, a researcher with the institute's military expenditure and arms production programme.
Military spending in Europe, including Russia, rose 17 per cent to $693 billion and was the main contributor to the global increase last year.
After three years of war in Ukraine, military expenditure kept rising across the continent, pushing the total in Europe beyond the level recorded at the end of the Cold War, the institute said. All European countries, except Malta, increased military spending in 2024.
Russia's military expenditure reached an estimated $149 billion in 2024, a 38 per cent increase from 2023. This represented 7.1 per cent of Russia’s GDP and 19 per cent of all Russian government spending.
Ukraine’s total military expenditure grew by 2.9 per cent to reach $64.7 billion, which was equal to 43 per cent of Russia’s spending. At 34 per cent of GDP, Ukraine had the largest military burden of any country in 2024.
Meanwhile, the US remained by far the biggest military spender in the world, allocating 3.2 times more than the second-largest spender, China.
US military expenditure rose by 5.7 per cent to reach $997 billion, which was 66 per cent of total Nato spending and 37 per cent of world military spending in 2024. "A significant portion of the US budget for 2024 was dedicated to modernising military capabilities and the US nuclear arsenal in order to maintain a strategic advantage over Russia and China," the institute said.
European Nato members spent $454 billion in total, representing 30 per cent of total spending across the alliance.
"The rapid spending increases among European Nato members were driven mainly by the ongoing Russian threat and concerns about possible US disengagement within the alliance," said Jade Guiberteau Ricard, a researcher with the institute's military expenditure and arms production programme.
"It is worth saying that boosting spending alone will not necessarily translate into significantly greater military capability or independence from the USA. Those are far more complex tasks."
China increased its military expenditure by 7 per cent to an estimated $314 billion, marking three decades of consecutive growth, investing in the continued modernisation of its military and expansion of its cyber warfare capabilities and nuclear arsenal.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Price: From Dh650,000
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
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THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Results
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m; Winner: Dhafra, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Al Ajayib, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
4pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Ashtr, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Falcon Claws, Szczepan Mazur, Doug Watson
5pm: Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup – Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Al Mufham SB, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Badar Al Hajri
5.30pm: Sharjah Marathon – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,700m; Winner: Asraa Min Al Talqa, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
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The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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