Morocco has just test-fired Israeli-made Extra guided missiles in its southeast desert. The rockets, part of the $150 million PULS launcher system Rabat bought in 2021, struck targets at 150 km. South Korea might watch North Korea’s exports, but here it’s Israel rearming Morocco.
It’s not just about one test. Morocco is quietly shifting its entire defense backbone toward Israel. In the past five years, Israel has become Rabat’s third-largest arms supplier—11% of all imports—even though formal ties only started in 2020 under the Abraham Accords.
The list is long:
Missiles: Extra rockets now, with Harpy and Harop loitering drones (500–1,000 km) on the table.
Drones: Bluebird SpyX, Elbit Skystriker, Wonder B, Thunder B.
Satellites: Ofek-13, ditching France’s Airbus and Thales.
Artillery and Air Defense: Atmos howitzers, Barak-8, Rafael Spider systems.
France is losing ground. Once Rabat’s main supplier, Paris is now sidelined—so much so it has tried to block Israeli firms from French defense exhibitions.
The timing is not lost on anyone. Morocco’s long rivalry with Algeria means these missiles aren’t just for show. Each Israeli shipment tilts the balance further. For Israel, the payoff is huge: a foothold in North Africa and a partner looking south into the Sahel.
One missile test in the desert is easy to miss. But this was a message: Morocco’s arsenal is no longer French—it’s Israeli. And that shifts the war map of North Africa.
