The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that it had approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including dozens of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles.
Congress was informed of the impending sale, which also includes more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), 120mm tank rounds, high-explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. It comes at a time of strong concerns that Israel could become embroiled in a broader Middle East war.
But the weapons are not expected to reach Israel anytime soon, as the contract will take years to fulfill — much of the sale is intended to support Israel’s long-term military buildup, with the first systems delivered under the contract not expected until 2026.
“The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and assisting Israel in developing and maintaining a strong and responsive self-defense capability is critical to U.S. national interests. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” the State Department said in announcing the sale.
The Biden administration has had to balance continued support for Israel with growing calls from lawmakers and the American public to withhold military aid to Israel given the high civilian death toll in Gaza. As Israel continued its airstrikes on populated areas of Gaza, the Biden administration withheld one shipment of 2,000 pounds of weapons.
The deal includes the sale of 50 new planes built by Boeing, as well as upgrade kits to upgrade Israel’s 24 F-15 fighter jets with new engines, radar and other upgrades. The fighter jets will make up the largest chunk of the $20 billion sale, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2029.
