U.S. approves $3 billion arms sale to Israel
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential arms sale to Israel totaling nearly $3 billion.
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the details of the deal, highlighting a multi-faceted package.
The U.S. Congress was quickly notified about the forthcoming deliveries without the deal undergoing usual examination by the relevant foreign relations committees.
The planned shipments to Israel will include more than 35,500 MK-84 aerial bombs, over 4,000 MQ-1 Predator drone warheads, and armored bulldozers for demolitions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided a detailed rationale for the emergency situation necessitating the immediate sale of the abovementioned defense articles and services to the Israeli government in the interest of U.S. national security, thereby waiving the standard congressional review requirements, stated the State Department, as reported by AP. These arms supplies are expected to begin in 2026.
Additionally, Rubio has approved another sale of ammunition to Israel worth over $675 million, with these deliveries slated to commence in 2028.
The U.S. and Israel are committed to countering Iran's nuclear ambitions and its "aggression" in the Middle East, declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 16 after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marking his first visit to Israel since taking office.
Moreover, Netanyahu announced a "joint strategy" between the two nations regarding the Gaza Strip. Rubio called for the dismantling of the radical Islamist movement Hamas, asserting that this organization "cannot continue to exist as a military or governmental force."
The Middle East situation sharply escalated on October 7, 2023, when the radical Islamist movement Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization in both the EU and the U.S., launched a massive attack on Israel. Militants unleashed a barrage of rockets on the country, invaded its territory, and executed the deadliest assault on civilians in the history of modern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people. The assailants also kidnapped around 250 hostages, taking them into the Gaza Strip. Some hostages were exchanged or freed, while others perished.
In retaliation, Israel declared war on Hamas. The subsequent ground operations and bombardments in Gaza reportedly resulted in the deaths of about 47,000 Palestinians and injuries to over 110,000 more, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. However, it did not specify how these figures were compiled, particularly how many Islamist militants were among the dead or if deaths due to natural causes of hospitalized Palestinians were included.
In January, Israel and Hamas brokered a ceasefire agreement, wherein the release of some hostages was reciprocated by the transfer of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.