Transparency data

Israel export control licensing data: 28 February 2026

Updated 20 April 2026

Introduction

The UK’s arms export system is enshrined in law through the Export Control Act and implemented through our Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Strategic export controls licensing statistics are regularly published on GOV.UK covering licensing decisions each quarter, including those issued, refused or revoked. No other international export control regime offers this level and frequency of transparency.

The most recent strategic export controls licensing statistics publication covers export licensing decisions made between 1 July to 30 September 2025 and was published on 29 January 2026. However, given the exceptional circumstances, and the significant Parliamentary and public interest, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has chosen to publish an ad hoc management information release to provide more current information about Israel export licensing. This is the fourth management information release for Israel, published on 20 April 2026, and it provides information on licences to 28 February 2026. The last release was published on 28 August 2025 and provided information on licences to 31 July 2025.

Throughout this period decisions on relevant licences continue to be made in line with the position set out to Parliament on 2 September 2024, that licences are not issued where it is assessed that the items might be used in military operations in Gaza, subject to the specific provisions relating to the Global F-35 Programme.

This management information release provides data on:

• the number of non-suspended extant licences where Israel was included as a destination as at 28 February 2026 (Table 1)

• the number of licence applications currently in progress where Israel was included as a destination as at 28 February 2026 (Table 2)

• the number of licensing decisions where Israel was included as a destination from 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026 (Table 3)

This management information release should not be considered part of the strategic export controls licensing statistics publication as it has not been produced in the same manner. See the Related statistics section for further details.

Israel export control non-suspended licences extant as at 28 February 2026

Table 1: Israel export control non-suspended licences extant as at 28 February 2026

Licence type	Description of goods	Number of licences
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Military	168
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Non-military	171
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Total	339
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Military	2
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Non-military	0
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Total	2
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Military	27
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Non-military	21
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Total	48
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Military	6
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Non-military	0
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Total	6
All licence types	Military	203
All licence types	Non-military	192
All licence types	Total	395

Table 1 commentary

In September 2024, action was taken to suspend 29 licences where there was a clear risk that the items covered might be used to commit or facilitate serious breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Gaza. Six further licences were subsequently suspended or amended as additional information arose. This table includes:

• non-suspended extant licences involving Israel which do not pose any such clear risk
• extant individual licences for the global F-35 Programme, of which Israel is a potential end user

As per the announcement to Parliament in September 2024, specific measures were required for exports to the F-35 Programme. These exports were excluded from the scope of the suspension, except where components were going directly to Israel for use in Israel.

Licence breakdown by category

The number of non-suspended extant licences as at 28 February 2026 was 395, up from 347 non-suspended extant licences as at 31 July 2025.

Of the 395 non-suspended extant licences as at 28 February 2026, 192 were for non-military goods. Such licences covered items principally for civilian usage, including (for example) imaging equipment for non-military applications, chemicals for use in laboratory testing, or software for use in advanced manufacturing processes.

Of the 203 non-suspended extant military licences:

• 89 were identified as being for, or supporting, re-export to third parties outside of Israel. These exports are defined as those where Israel is not the ultimate end-user country, or where the re-export nature of the shipment is made clear in the licence detail. Examples of such exports include where components may be exported to Israel for integration into completed products that are then shipped to non-Israeli end-users. In some cases the items will be modified in Israel for re-export back to the United Kingdom, or will include equipment/technology/documentation to facilitate, support or enable wider re-export contracts, often for NATO partners

• 37 were for the export of items for commercial companies, undergoing testing, research and development, demonstration or manufacturing purposes. These include where items are being shipped for display at a trade show before returning to the UK alongside the licence holder. This also covers export of technical documentation which supports compliance testing

• 9 covered exports of military grade equipment for academic or civilian purposes, including protective equipment for non-combatants including non-governmental organisation (NGO) staff and journalists

• 68 remained extant where the Government of Israel is the end-user or a potential end-user. These include parts for trainer aircraft, missile defence systems, or components for submarines – which were not assessed to have combat utility in current military operations in Gaza. These also include licences for exports to the global F35 programme (where Israel is a potential end user – not covering direct exports of F-35 components to Israel, which are suspended)

Licence breakdown by value

The value of non-suspended extant licences as at 28 February 2026 (excluding those for the F-35 programme, where items could go to a large range of end-users) was £303 million. Of this figure, £173 million related to non-military licences, and £130 million related to military licences, of which:

• a total of £81 million covered licences for items supporting products for re-export to third countries

• a total of £11 million covered military grade or dual-use items not for use by the Israeli government (such as body armour for NGOs and journalists, or mine-clearing equipment for NGOs, or for commercial purposes)

Values are provided rounded to the nearest million and are only available for SIEL and SITCL licence types. The value of these licences represents the maximum value of exports which can be exported under each licence (which typically last 2 years). As a maximum figure, in some cases this exceeds the value of goods that are ultimately exported under the licence.

Table 1 notes

1. Non-suspended licences extant as at 28 February 2026. These figures include non-suspended licences extant that were issued prior to, and post, 7 October 2023. Upon a licence being issued, it remains extant until the licence is either:

• exhausted (that is, the exporter uses the licence in full)
• surrendered (that is, the exporter proactively gives up the licence as it is no longer required)
• expires (for example, SIEL licence types generally have a validity of 2 years)
• the original decision to issue the licence is overturned (for example, the licence is revoked)

There was a further 1 suspended extant licence as at 28 February 2026.

2. Figures for extant OIELs do not contain Cryptographic OIELs or Media OIELs given they authorise the export of specified items to a pre-determined list of multiple destination countries (which includes Israel by default). Cryptographic OIELs authorise the export of specified cryptography hardware or software and the transfer of specified cryptography technology. Media OIELs authorise the export of military helmets, body armour, non-military (four-wheel drive) 4WD civilian vehicles with ballistic protection and specially designed components for any of these items, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists in areas of conflict. There were 60 Cryptographic OIELs and 10 Media OIELs extant as at 28 February 2026.

3. Extant licences cover both items classified as military, and items classed as non-military. Licences are categorised as military if any goods on the licence were rated as military. For example, if the licence included goods rated as both military and non-military, the overall description of goods on the licence is categorised as military. The 1 suspended extant licence as at 28 February 2026 was classified as military.

4. Figures include licences where Israel and/or Palestine are listed as one or more of the following categories:

• end user destination country (for example, where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export)
• third party destination country (for example, an agent or broker)
• ultimate end user destination country (for example, where UK components are being utilised in that country)

Israel export control licence applications in-progress as at 28 February 2026

Table 2: Israel export control licence applications in-progress as at 28 February 2026

Licence type	Number of applications
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	144
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	3
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	20
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	1
Total	168

Table 2 commentary

The number of licence applications in progress has risen slightly from 164 (as at 31 July 2025) to 168. This reflects a continued focus on scrutiny and assessment of each application on a robust case-by-case basis.

Licence applications will only be approved where they meet the conditions set out in the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, as set out according to the Written Ministerial Statement (UIN HCWS449).

Breakdowns of application by type and value are not provided as the assessment of these may be subject to change during the application process.

Table 2 notes

1. Licence applications in progress as at 28 February 2026. These figures include some licence applications that were submitted prior to 7 October 2023. These figures also include applications that were made in relation to amending licences that were previously issued and may still be extant. Licence applications are submitted to and processed by Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) through SPIRE and LITE systems (the IT platforms used to process licence applications). Applications are considered to be in progress where the application is being assessed by ECJU with an outcome still to be determined. These figures are not broken down into military and non-military as this assessment may not have taken place yet and/or can change as an application progresses through the stages.

2. Figures for OIEL applications in progress do not contain Cryptographic OIELs or Media OIELs given they authorise the export of specified items to a pre-determined list of multiple destination countries (which includes Israel by default). Cryptographic OIELs authorise the export of specified cryptography hardware or software and the transfer of specified cryptography technology. Media OIELs authorise the export of military helmets, body armour, non-military 4WD civilian vehicles with ballistic protection and specially designed components for any of these items, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists in areas of conflict. There were 32 Cryptographic OIEL applications in progress as at 28 February 2026. There was 1 Media OIEL application in progress as at 28 February 2026.

3. Figures include licence applications where Israel and/or Palestine are listed as one or more of the following categories:

• end user destination country (for example, where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export)
• third party destination country (for example, an agent or broker)
• ultimate end user destination country (for example, where UK components are being used in that country)

Israel export control licensing decisions made between 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026

Table 3: Israel export control licensing decisions made between 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026

Licence type	Description of goods	Number of licences issued	Number of licences refused/rejected	Number of ‘no licence required’ (NLR) outcomes
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Military	48	8	Not applicable
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Non-military	52	1	Not applicable
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	NLR	Not applicable	Not applicable	26
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Total	100	9	26
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Military	1	0	Not applicable
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Non-military	0	0	Not applicable
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	NLR	Not applicable	Not applicable	0
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Total	1	0	0
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Military	4	0	0
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Non-military	5	1	Not applicable
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Total	9	1	Not applicable
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Military	2	0	Not applicable
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Non-military	0	0	Not applicable
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Total	2	0	Not applicable
All licence types	Military	55	8	Not applicable
All licence types	Non-military	57	2	Not applicable
All licence types	NLR	Not applicable	Not applicable	26
All licence types	Total	112	10	26

Table 3 commentary

Licence applications have been refused/rejected where they do not meet the parameters set out in the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria and as further specified in the Secretary of State for Business and Trade’s announcement of 2 September 2024.

This has meant the refusal/rejection of 10 applications in this period alone (1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026), amounting to £9.3 million in value.

Licence applications continue to be approved where they meet the criteria or are otherwise exempted. In this period (1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026), the number of licences issued was 112, up from 107 between 7 December 2024 and 31 July 2025.

Licence breakdown by category

Of the 10 licences refused/rejected in this period, the majority (90%) were assessed to contain items for use in military operations in Gaza, such as licences relating to combat aircraft. One licence was refused on a separate basis.

Of the 112 licences issued in this period, 55 were of a military categorisation, including: 

• 19 identified as for, or supporting, re-export to third countries. These exports are defined as those where Israel is not the ultimate end-user, or where the re-export nature of the shipment is made clear in the licence detail. Examples of such exports include where components may be exported to Israel for integration into onward supply chains before being shipped to non-Israeli end-users. In some cases the items will be modified in Israel for re-export back to the United Kingdom, or will include equipment/technology/documentation to facilitate, support or enable wider re-export contracts, often for NATO partners

• 19 covered items for academia, commercial testing/demonstration/manufacture, such as technical compliance documentation, or non-combatant protection for NGOs

• 17 military licences were those covering export of items to the Government of Israel, where these are for equipment not useable in military operations in Gaza, or otherwise exempt from the suspension. Issued military licences relating to the Government of Israel principally relate to the F-35 Programme, where Israel is one of a range of potential ultimate end-users, training equipment (including trainer aircraft components) or for submarines

There were 57 licences issued for non-military goods, including items supporting internet services and components for commercial aircraft. A further 26 were assessed as not requiring a licence, which arises when items are not found to be on the UK Strategic Export Control Lists.

Licence breakdown by value

The values of issued licences identified in this table (excluding those for the F-35 programme, where items could go to a large range of end-users) was £121 million, of which £12 million related to items for, or supporting, re-exports to third countries, and £98 million related to non-military items. Values are provided rounded to the nearest million and are only available for SIEL and SITCL licence types. The value of these licences represents the maximum value of exports which can be exported under each licence (which typically last 2 years). As a maximum figure, in some cases this exceeds the value of goods that are ultimately exported under the licence.

Table 3 notes

1. Table 3 provides licensing decisions made between 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026. See the previous management information releases for licensing decisions made between 7 October 2023 and 31 July 2025.

2. Licence decisions include the licences being issued, refused/rejected, revoked. Some licence applications are submitted for goods that do not require an export licence. Where this is determined, the applicant is informed that no licence is required and a decision of ‘No Licence Required’ (NLR) is recorded.

3. Some licence applications are not suitable for OIELs and may need the scrutiny that a SIEL application provides to fully address and assess the risk. Where this is determined, the OIEL application is rejected and exporters are recommended to apply for a SIEL.

4. Figures for OIEL licensing decisions do not contain Cryptographic OIELs or Media OIELs given they authorise the export of specified items to a pre-determined list of multiple destination countries (which include Israel by default). Cryptographic OIELs authorise the export of specified cryptography hardware or software and the transfer of specified cryptography technology. Media OIELs authorise the export of military helmets, body armour, non-military 4WD civilian vehicles with ballistic protection and specially designed components for any of these items, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists in areas of conflict. There was 1 Cryptographic OIEL licensing decision made between 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026, which was issued. There was 1 Media OIEL licensing decision made between 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026, which was issued.

5. Licences are categorised as military if any goods on the licence were rated as military. For example, if the licence included goods rated as both military and non-military, the overall description of goods on the licence is categorised as military.

6. Figures include licence applications where Israel and/or Palestine are listed as one or more of the following categories:

• end user destination country (for example, where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export)
• third party destination country (for example, an agent or broker)
• ultimate end user destination country (for example, where UK components are being used in that country)

Related statistics

The strategic export controls licensing statistics provides detailed data on licensing decisions each quarter.

The next strategic export controls licensing statistics publication will cover export licensing decisions made between 1 October and 31 December 2025, and will be published on 30 April 2026.

This management information release should not be considered part of the strategic export controls licensing statistics as they have not been produced in the same manner and there are several notable differences.

The strategic export controls licensing statistics provides detailed data on licensing decisions, whereas this management information release provides data on extant licences, licence applications in progress and licensing decisions. Read the accompanying table notes for definitions of extant licences, licence applications in progress and licensing decisions.

The strategic export controls licensing statistics provide data on licensing decisions for each quarter, whereas this management information release provides data on extant licences as at 28 February 2026, licence applications in progress as at 28 February 2026, and licensing decisions for the period 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026. Note that there will be some overlap between licences extant as at 28 February 2026 and licensing decisions for the period 1 August 2025 to 28 February 2026. For example, if a SIEL was issued on 30 August 2025 and it remained extant as at 28 February 2026, it would be counted within (Table 1) and (Table 3).

Where the strategic export controls licensing statistics are broken down by country, this is determined by the end user destination. Therefore, a licence is determined to be for Israel within the strategic export controls licensing statistics where Israel and/or Palestine are listed as the end user destination country. However, for this management information release, a licence/application is determined to be for Israel where Israel and/or Palestine are listed as the end user destination country (for example, where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export), third party destination country (for example, an agent or broker), and/or ultimate end user destination country (for example, where UK components are being utilised in that country).

The strategic export controls licensing statistics are usually published 4 to 6 months after the reference period they relate to, which allows for significant levels of quality assurance to be carried out. Whereas this management information release has been produced and released at pace to ensure timelier management information can be made available in an orderly, open, fair and transparent manner. Therefore, while as much assurance and due diligence as possible has been applied in the time allowed, the same level of quality cannot be guaranteed and extra care should be taken when using data taken from the management information release.

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) publish guidance on understanding the difference between Official Statistics and published Management Information.

Contact

You can email any questions to: exportcontrol.help@businessandtrade.gov.uk.