The US plans to sell $8 billion worth of weapons to Israel.
The U.S. State Department announced in an informal notification to Congress that it intends to sell $8 billion worth of weapons to Israel.
According to CNN on January 4th, a source familiar with the matter said that the US State Department sent informal notifications to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding the arms sale on January 3rd – the first day of the new Congress and just weeks before President Joe Biden's administration leaves office.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the Biden administration in 2024 for not sending weapons to Israel – a claim that a Biden envoy called “completely false.”
Israel continues to face accusations from human rights groups regarding violations of international law, including the use of US weapons in the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands of people have been killed.
In May 2024, the U.S. State Department said it had “reasonable grounds to assess” that U.S. weapons had been used by Israeli forces in Gaza in ways “inconsistent” with international humanitarian law, but did not formally declare that Israel had violated the law.
According to U.S. officials, this proposed sale includes AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for countering airborne threats, as well as drones. Additionally, it includes artillery shells; AGM-114 Hellfire missiles; small diameter bombs (SDBs); 500-pound warheads; and FMU-152A/B detonators.
The official also stated that the purpose of this sale is "to support Israel's long-term security by providing it with vital ammunition stockpiles and air defense capabilities."
"The President has made it clear that Israel has the right to defend its citizens, in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law, and to prevent attacks from Iran and its proxies," the source told CNN. "We will continue to provide the necessary capabilities to defend Israel."
The official also noted that some production and delivery shipments could be made through existing U.S. stockpiles, but "the majority will take more than a year to several years to deliver."
The informal notification process is a common practice in which relevant congressional committees are notified in advance of planned sales, allowing committee leaders to raise concerns, offer input, or uphold their decisions.
