Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- The Israeli military is set to receive a major arms shipment from the US in the coming weeks, including over 3,000 munitions for the Israeli Air Force, as Israel intensifies its offensive in the Gaza Strip. This follows Israel’s resumption of the Gaza assault in March, which has killed over 1,600 civilians so far.
Israeli officials said Monday that Israel is set to receive over 3,000 US munitions as it expands its assault on Gaza, Israel’s Ynet News reported on
The shipment, recently approved by the U.S. administration, is intended to boost the Air Force’s readiness for a large-scale assault in the Gaza Strip. The delivery comes in addition to more than 10,000 aerial munitions expected to replenish Israeli stockpiles.
The shipment complements a previous deal for heavy munitions that Israel purchased from the U.S. last year. The Biden administration had initially frozen the transfer, but U.S. President Donald Trump reversed the freeze in recent weeks.
In February, the U.S. government confirmed the approval of a major arms deal with Israel valued at $7.41 billion, which includes guided munitions, bombs and related equipment. The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress that the deal is intended to preserve Israel’s ability to defend itself.
The authorization followed a January notification from the Biden administration regarding an $8 billion arms package just before Trump reentered office. Under the agreement, Israel will use American military aid funds to purchase 3,000 Hellfire missiles valued at approximately $660 million and 2,166 AGM-114 Hellfire bombs, also valued at $660 million.
Israel will also acquire 2,166 GBU-39 bombs, roughly 13,000 JDAM guidance kits for various bomb weights and 17,475 FMU-152A/B fuses as part of a separate $6.75 billion deal. The delivery of the Hellfire missiles is scheduled to begin in 2028, while the additional munitions are expected to start arriving in 2025.
According to the Pentagon, the equipment will come from existing U.S. military stockpiles and American defense contractors including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and L3Harris. In a formal statement, the Pentagon said the deal would not alter the regional balance of power and would support Israel’s defense of its borders, critical infrastructure and civilian population.
The Biden administration also utilized emergency authorities to approve the sale of arms to Israel without congressional review, setting a record by spending at least $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel in the year following October 7, 2023, according to a report by Brown University’s Costs of War project.
On March 18, Israel resumed its assault on Gaza, killing over 1,600 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry on Tuesday. On March 1, Israel had blocked all humanitarian aid from entering the Palestinian enclave, exacerbating the already dire situation.