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The United States has approved a massive arms sale to Israel totaling $20 billion, including a range of military equipment including fighter jets and advanced missiles, the State Department announced on Tuesday.
Congress has been informed of the upcoming arms sales, which include more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), 120mm tank ammunition, high-explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. The approval comes amid growing concerns that Israel could be drawn into a wider conflict in the Middle East.
However, the weapons are not expected to arrive in Israel immediately. The contracts involved are long-term, with many systems not expected to be delivered until at least 2026. The sale is intended to enhance Israel’s military capabilities in the long term.
“The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and helping Israel maintain a strong and readily available self-defense capability is vital to the U.S. national interest,” the State Department said in an announcement of the arms sale. “This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives.”
The Biden administration faces the challenge of supporting Israel while also responding to growing calls from lawmakers and the public to limit military aid because of the heavy civilian casualties in Gaza. The Biden administration has already halted deliveries of certain 2,000-pound bombs to Israel amid ongoing airstrikes on densely populated areas of Gaza.
The contracts include not only the production of 50 new aircraft by Boeing, but also upgrade kits for Israel’s existing fleet of F-15 fighter jets. These upgrades, which include enhancements such as new engines and radars, account for the largest portion of the $20 billion sales, with the first aircraft expected to be delivered in 2029.
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