The US approves the sale of a $20 billion arms package to Israel.
According to Reuters, on August 13, the US approved the sale of $20 billion worth of fighter jets and military equipment to Israel amid the country's ongoing 10-month war in the Gaza Strip, although the Pentagon insisted deliveries would not begin for years.
The Pentagon said in a statement that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved the sale of F-15 fighter jets and equipment worth nearly $19 billion, along with tank ammunition worth $774 million, artillery ammunition worth more than $60 million, and military vehicles worth $583 million, according to the Pentagon statement.
Boeing's F-15 fighter jets are expected to take many years to produce, with deliveries projected to begin in 2029. Additionally, according to the Pentagon, other aircraft will begin deliveries as early as 2026.
An expert on the process said that some devices could be delivered earlier than 2026.
The Pentagon stated: "The U.S. position is one of commitment to Israel's security, and helping Israel develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability is essential to U.S. national interests."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in a social media post, thanked US officials for helping Israel maintain its "qualitative military advantage in the region" and for the US commitment to Israel's security.
U.S. officials told Reuters in June that the U.S. – Israel’s biggest ally and primary arms supplier – had sent Israel more than 10,000 2,000-pound high-explosive bombs and thousands of Hellfire rockets since the start of fighting in Gaza in October 2023.
The war devastated Gaza and caused heavy civilian casualties. Hoping to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East, Washington attempted, along with other regional mediators, to broker a ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden proposed a three-phase ceasefire in Gaza on May 31st. However, efforts to bring about a resolution have so far been unsuccessful.
The most recent bloodshed in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict began when Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel's subsequent attack on Hamas-controlled areas killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. It also displaced almost the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a famine crisis and leading to genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice, which Israel denies.
Washington has faced increasing domestic and international criticism for its military support of Israel.