Biden Advances $680M Arms Deal to Israel Amid Cease-fire with Hezbollah
The Biden administration is advancing a $680 million arms package to Israel, a US official confirmed on Wednesday. The sale includes thousands of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits (JDAMs) and hundreds of small-diameter bombs, following reports by the Financial Times.
This comes just a day after a US-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect, halting one of the deadliest cross-border conflicts in years. However, Israel remains entrenched in its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently emphasized the importance of replenishing weapons stockpiles as part of the cease-fire rationale. “It is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon,” Netanyahu said Tuesday night.
The arms deal is the latest in a series of US military aid packages, including a $20 billion fighter jet sale in August and the transfer of over 10,000 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles since the Gaza conflict escalated in October 2023. The ongoing war has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, with local health officials reporting over 43,900 Palestinian deaths.
While Congress must be notified of major arms sales, efforts by progressive lawmakers to block such deals over humanitarian concerns have consistently failed. Last week, the Senate rejected legislation aimed at halting military aid to Israel.
A State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the sale but reaffirmed unwavering US support for Israel’s security, emphasizing that Israel must uphold its moral obligation to protect civilians.
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