Germany has approved the sale of a sixth Dolphin submarine to Israel and will pay for a third of its cost, government sources told dpa on Wednesday.
Israel already has three German-made Dolphin submarines, which are capable of carrying missiles with nuclear warheads. Berlin paid for two of the submarines and the cost of the third was shared between the two countries. Two more are being constructed.
The government sources said Germany had allocated up to 135 million euros (180 million dollars) in next year's budget to pay for its share of the cost for the sixth submarine, the sale of which is part of a deal finalized in 2005.
The submarines are seen as a strategic asset for Israel in any future confrontation with Iran, which the West suspects of seeking to develop a nuclear bomb. Israel is believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, a claim it neither confirms nor denies.