BRITISH imports of Israeli military goods increased by more than 10,500 per cent between 2023 and 2025, a new investigation based on UN trade data has found.

Imports classified as “arms and ammunition; parts and accessories” rose from $74,517 (£56,358) in 2023 to almost $8 million (£6.05m) in 2025, Action on Armed Violence revealed today.

The increase came during a period of growing international concern over Israel’s genocide in Gaza and heightened scrutiny of British-Israel defence ties.

The analysis, based on the UN Comtrade database — one of the few publicly accessible sources tracking international trade in military-related goods — found imports began rising in 2024 before increasing sharply in 2025, a trend mirrored in other trade datasets.

Globally, Israeli exports of arms and ammunition rose from $1.45 billion (£1.1bn) in 2021 to $2.42bn (£1.83bn) in 2025, reaching their highest level on record.

This represents a 38 per cent increase between 2023 and 2025 alone, equivalent to an additional $670m in export value.

It comes as calls grow for a Westminster probe into a military shipment bound for Israel, which was seized by Belgian authorities last week after journalists and campaign groups discovered British military components without the required transit licence.

The components, covered by British export codes for military aircraft and fire control parts, are believed to belong to US firm Moog, which manufactures trainer aircraft components for the Israeli air force at a factory in Wolverhampton.

Belgium has since opened a criminal investigation.

Martin Butcher of Oxfam said: “It is appalling that the UK has so sharply increased purchases from Israel, boosting Israeli profits and therefore helping pay for the Gaza genocide and risking complicity.

“It is disgraceful that no arms import data is published here and that UN data must be used to uncover these shameful facts.”

Dr Iain Overton, of Action on Armed Violence, said: “Behind every arms transfer lies a broader question about the kind of security we are investing in.

“The dramatic increase in imports of Israeli arms and ammunition comes against the backdrop of immense civilian suffering in Gaza.”

The government has previously said that all defence exports and procurement decisions are subject to strict legal and regulatory controls.