Washington, DC, August 14 :
As Israel continues to wage a 10-month-old war in the Gaza Strip, the United States authorized the sale of $20 billion worth of fighter jets and other military equipment to the Jewish state on August 13. However, according to the Pentagon, deliveries would not commence for years. According to a statement from the Pentagon, the sale of F-15 planes and equipment, tank cartridges, explosive mortar cartridges, and army vehicles totaling almost $19 billion, $774 million, $60 million, and $583 million, respectively, was authorized by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
There was anticipation that production of the F-15 fighter jets by Boeing Co. would take a long time, with delivery starting in 2029. The Pentagon stated that further equipment would start being delivered in 2026. According to a process specialist, some deliveries might happen before 2026.
"The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability," according to the Pentagon. In a post on X, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed gratitude to U.S. officials for their assistance in preserving "its qualitative military edge in the region" and for the unwavering support for Israel's wellbeing.
U.S. officials informed Reuters in June that since the Gaza conflict began in October, the United States—Israel's largest ally and weapons supplier—has deployed thousands of Hellfire missiles and over 10,000 highly damaging 2,000-pound bombs.
There has been a severe civilian casualty toll and Gaza has been ravaged by the war. Washington has been trying to establish a truce with other regional mediators in the Middle East in the hopes of preventing a wider war.
On May 31st, President Joe Biden proposed a three-part plan to end the fighting in Gaza. The problem is that nothing has worked to make it a reality thus far. Israeli authorities have estimated that 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken captive on October 7 when the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched an offensive on Israel, sparking the most recent wave of violence in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Nearly forty thousand Palestinians have been murdered in Israel's attack on the enclave ruled by Hamas, as reported by the local health authority. Additionally, it has triggered a food crisis, displaced virtually the entire population of 2.3 million, and resulted in accusations of genocide in the World Court, which Israel denies. Foreign and local critics of Washington's military backing for Israel have been growing in recent months.
