This paper briefly examines Israel's nuclear weapons policies, capabilities and programmes. It is one paper in a larger series on the nuclear weapon states.
Nuclear weapons at a glance: Israel (511 KB , PDF)
Israel has an official policy of ambiguity with respect to nuclear weapons. It has never confirmed or denied possessing nuclear weapons and has never conducted a nuclear test.
However, it is universally acknowledged that Israel has a nuclear weapons capability which it developed outside the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Along with India and Pakistan, Israel is therefore considered a de facto nuclear weapon state.
Due to its official stance, clarification of Israel’s nuclear policies and capabilities is difficult.
Israel is estimated to have a nuclear stockpile of approximately 90 warheads; while production of plutonium for weapons purposes is thought to be continuing.
On the basis of unconfirmed reports, Israel could be in possession of the nuclear triad for delivery of its nuclear capability.
This short paper is intended as an introduction to Israel’s nuclear weapons policies and programmes, as far as is known from publicly available sources. It is part of a series of country profiles which are available on the House of Commons Library website.
Nuclear weapons at a glance: Israel (511 KB , PDF)
In a vote in July 2016 the House of Commons approved the decision to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. After almost a decade of work on the project, that vote subsequently enabled the programme to move forward into its manufacturing phase, which will see the construction of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines entering service in the 2030s.
A briefing paper on the legal issues surrounding a Scottish independence referendum
In response to Russian military action in Ukraine, Western allies and other partners across the globe have imposed an unprecedented package of coordinated sanctions against Russia. This briefing paper should be taken as correct at the time of writing.
