US approves $8 billion arms sale to Israel

Biden administration's proposed arms sale to Israel will include munitions and air-to-air missiles for fighter jets.

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The Biden administration has formally notified Congress of an $8 billion proposed arms sale to Israel, which includes munitions for fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery shells.

The deal, aimed at supporting Israel’s long-term security, will be one of the last significant arms sales to the country under Biden’s presidency, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The proposed arms package includes AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles designed to defend Israel against airborne threats, including drones, and 155mm artillery shells.

Additionally, the deal covers Hellfire AGM-114 missiles for attack helicopters, small diameter bombs, JDAM tail kits for precision munitions, 500-lb warheads, and bomb fuzes.

The sale will likely take several years to fully deliver, with some munitions available from existing US stocks, while others will require new production. Congress will have to approve the sale through both the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees.

The arms sale comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters claiming that President Biden had imposed a "silent arms embargo" on Israel.

Biden has faced pressure from some Democrats to condition arms sales to Israel based on the handling of the war effort and humanitarian concerns in Gaza, but he has declined to do so.

In response, a US official stated that the deal is intended to "support Israel’s long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defence capabilities."

The official further reiterated that the United States will continue to provide Israel with the necessary capabilities to defend itself and deter threats from Iran and its allies.