A major American arms sale will “ensure Israel’s air superiority in the future” while enhancing its longrange capabilities, US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel has said during a joint press conference with Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon in Tel Aviv.

Hagel pointed out that the deal involves the selling of defence platforms never before made available by the United States to another country, adding that he had begun talks with Ya’alon about a future assistance programme to Israel for 2017, when the current agreement ends.

The arms sale includes V-22 Osprey helicopter-plane aircraft, refuelling tankers, advanced radars for fighter jets and advanced missiles that target air defences.

The deal is part of a wider $10 billion package involving US sales to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, designed to provide Washington’s allies in the region with enhanced military capabilities against Iran. The UAE will take stock of 25 F-16 Desert Falcon jets worth nearly $5 billion.