A Hellfire missile Photo: Michael Fitzsimmons / Shutterstock
The United States has approved an agreement to supply Israel with precision munitions, missiles and related equipment worth a total of $7.41 billion. This was announced by the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Friday, having submitted a request to the US Congress, Ynet News reports.
According to the agreement, Israel will receive 3,000 Hellfire missiles worth $660 million, 2,166 AGM-114 Hellfire bombs, 2,166 GBU-39 bombs, about 13,000 JDAM kits for adjusting bombs of various weights, and 17,475 FMU-152A/B detonators. The total value of these purchases is estimated at $6.75 billion.
According to the Pentagon, deliveries of Hellfire will begin in 2028, while the rest of the weapons will start arriving in 2025. US officials assure that the deal “will not change the regional balance of power” and will help Israel defend its borders, critical infrastructure and population.
The ammunition will be supplied from the US Army’s warehouses and will be manufactured by Lockheed Martin, Boeing and L3Harris. The State Department stressed that the deal is consistent with US policy to ensure Israel’s security and will not have a negative impact on the military readiness of US forces.
The sale is expected to be approved promptly by the relevant committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as such transactions are traditionally completed without significant delays.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US evangelical leaders during a visit to Washington this week. For the first time, he openly admitted that Joe Biden’s administration has effectively imposed an “arms embargo” on Israel.
Following the meeting, Netanyahu said in a statement that he thanked the evangelical leaders, who represent “millions of believers”, for their “steadfast and unwavering support for the State of Israel”. The meeting was also attended by the new US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who stated: “We have a responsibility to the Jewish people in Israel and around the world. You will never stand alone.”
