According to reporters, the State Department "unofficially" informed Congress about the proposed deal with Israel for USD 8 billion, which will include ammunition for fighter jets and attack helicopters, as well as artillery shells.
It was reported by the Axios portal, citing informed sources.
The publication notes that this will likely be the last arms sale to Israel approved by the administration of U.S. President Joseph Biden.
The deal comes against the backdrop of statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters that Biden has imposed a tacit "arms embargo" on Israel.
Some Democrats have insisted that the administration make arms sales to Israel dependent on how Israel conducts military operations and how the humanitarian situation in Gaza is resolved, but Biden has refused to do so.
The deal is long-term, the sources said. Some of the ammunition could be manufactured and delivered from existing U.S. stockpiles, but most will take a year or more to deliver.
The sources also said the weapons sales, which must be approved by the House and Senate foreign affairs committees, include:
- AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for fighter jets to defend against aerial threats, including drones;
- artillery shells;
- AGM-114 Hellfire missiles for attack helicopters;
- small-diameter guided aerial bombs, JDAM kits to convert unguided bombs into precision-guided 500-pound warheads, and bomb fuses.
A source familiar with the arms deal said the State Department told Congress that the deal was aimed at “supporting Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities.” “The President has made clear Israel has a right to defend its citizens, consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, and to deter aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations. We will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense,” an unnamed U.S. official told the media.
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