TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Rifles are lifted from display racks, drones hover above exhibition stands and large screens loop footage of missile launches inside the halls of Expo Tel Aviv convention center as it hosts the Defense Tech Expo Israel 2026.
The gathering brings together Israeli defense companies, foreign delegations and investors to present technologies ranging from small arms and robotics to air and missile defense systems and cyber tools.
Booths display large models of interceptors and unmanned aircraft, while representatives describe operational capabilities to potential buyers. Business meetings unfold beside screens showing battlefield simulations and promotional footage.
This year’s expo reflected growing international interest in Israel’s defense sector, with manufacturers promoting equipment shaped by recent conflicts.
Activists protest against a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Activists protest against a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Outside the venue, a small group of activists protested the defense and arms industry.
Some demonstrators linked the exhibition to the war in Gaza, holding signs that described the territory as a “testing lab” for weapons.
Together, the scenes highlight the tension between the commercial showcase of military technology and the political debate surrounding its use.
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors examine weapons on display at a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors examine weapons on display at a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Activists protest against a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Activists protest against a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Visitors attend a defense industry exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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