Middle East Defense Spending 2025: $157.5bn Total
The Middle East spent $157.5bn on defense in 2025, 5.7% of world military spending, led by Saudi Arabia at $81.5bn.
Key takeaways
- The Middle East spent $157.5bn on defense in 2025 across 9 reporting countries
- That total is 5.7% of world military spending in 2025
- Saudi Arabia is the region's largest spender at $81.5bn (51.7% of the regional total)
- Israel is second at $43.7bn (27.7% of the regional total)
- Saudi Arabia and Israel together account for nearly 80% of Middle East military spending
Verdict
The Middle East spent $157.5bn on defense in 2025, 5.7% of world military spending, led by Saudi Arabia at $81.5bn and Israel at $43.7bn. This total is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data — the sum of the 9 Middle East countries SIPRI reports for 2025; countries without a 2025 figure are excluded.
At a glance
| Regional total (2025) | $157.5bnOur calculation from SIPRI country-level data |
|---|---|
| Countries covered | 9Only countries with a 2025 SIPRI figure |
| Share of world spending | 5.7% |
| Top spender | Saudi Arabia — $81.5bn51.7% of the regional total |
| Second-largest spender | Israel — $43.7bn27.7% of the regional total |
Military spending in the Middle East totaled $157.5bn in 2025 across 9 reporting countries, equal to 5.7% of the world total, with Saudi Arabia the region's largest spender at $81.5bn.
01 How Much Is Military Spending in the Middle East in 2025?
The Middle East's combined military expenditure reached $157.5bn in 2025. This figure is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data, not SIPRI's own published total, summed across the 9 countries in the region for which SIPRI reports a 2025 figure. The total represents 5.7% of world military spending for the year.
Sum of the 9 Middle East countries SIPRI reports for 2025. Countries without a 2025 figure are excluded.
02 Top Defense Spenders in the Middle East, Ranked
Spending is concentrated at the top of the list. Saudi Arabia and Israel together account for more than three-quarters of the region's $157.5bn total, while the remaining seven countries in the ranking split the rest.
| Rank | Country | 2025 Spending | Share of Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | $81.5bn | 51.7% |
| 2 | Israel | $43.7bn | 27.7% |
| 3 | Kuwait | $7.9bn | 5.0% |
| 4 | Iran | $7.5bn | 4.7% |
| 5 | Iraq | $6.4bn | 4.1% |
| 6 | Oman | $5.9bn | 3.8% |
| 7 | Jordan | $2.5bn | 1.6% |
| 8 | Bahrain | $1.5bn | 0.9% |
03 Saudi Arabia: The Region's Largest Military Budget
Saudi Arabia spent $81.5bn on defense in 2025, the largest military budget of any Middle East country and 51.7% of the region's $157.5bn total. Israel follows in second place at $43.7bn, or 27.7% of the regional total. No other country in the ranking exceeds $8bn.
- Saudi Arabia — $81.5bn, 51.7% of the regional total.
- Israel — $43.7bn, 27.7% of the regional total.
- Kuwait — $7.9bn, 5.0% of the regional total, the third-largest budget in the region.
04 How the Middle East Compares to World Military Spending
At $157.5bn, the Middle East accounted for 5.7% of world military spending in 2025. For broader context on how the region ranks against other spenders globally, see the 2025 world rankings.
05 Data Coverage and Methodology
The ranking above shows the 8 largest Middle East countries with a reported 2025 military expenditure figure from SIPRI. The region's $157.5bn total is calculated by summing every Middle East country SIPRI reports a 2025 figure for, so it may include countries not broken out individually in the table above.
All figures are in SIPRI constant 2024 US dollars, per the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database (data as of April 2025). 2025 is a reported, not estimated, year for these countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much is military spending in the Middle East in 2025?
- Military spending in the Middle East totaled $157.5bn in 2025, summed across the 9 countries in the region SIPRI reports a 2025 figure for. This is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data, not a SIPRI-published regional total.
- Which country has the largest military budget in the Middle East?
- Saudi Arabia has the largest military budget in the Middle East at $81.5bn in 2025, equal to 51.7% of the region's $157.5bn total.
- What share of world military spending does the Middle East account for?
- The Middle East accounted for 5.7% of world military spending in 2025, based on a regional total of $157.5bn.
- How many countries are included in the Middle East defense spending total?
- The $157.5bn total covers 9 Middle East countries for which SIPRI reports a 2025 figure. Countries without a 2025 figure are excluded from the sum.
defensebudget.org
Defense spending data, sourced from SIPRI
defensebudget.org tracks military expenditure for 160 countries using the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Pages are generated from that dataset and reviewed before publication.