US approves $20 billion in weapons sales to Israel, including 50 fighter jets

State Department says deal, also including thousands of tank rounds, boosts ‘Israel’s capability to meet current and future enemy threats,’ though F-15s won’t arrive for years

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (right) is seen boarding a two-seater F-15 fighter jet at the Tel Nof Airbase in central Israel, June 5, 2024. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (right) is seen boarding a two-seater F-15 fighter jet at the Tel Nof Airbase in central Israel, June 5, 2024. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken okayed the sale of fighter jets and other arms to Israel in deals worth over $20 billion, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

In a statement, the Pentagon said Blinken approved the possible sale of 50 F-15 jets and equipment worth nearly $19 billion. He also approved the possible sale of 33,000 tank shells and 50,000 mortar shells worth around $774 million and army vehicles worth $583 million, the Pentagon said.

The tank rounds would be almost immediately available for delivery. The F-15 fighter jets, produced by Boeing, are only expected to arrive starting in 2029.

The State Department notified Congress of the approval. Congress has the ability to block weapons sales, but such a process is difficult.

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the State Department said in its notice on the F-15s.

The sale of the tank ammunition “will improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future enemy threats, strengthen its homeland defense and serve as a deterrent to regional threats,” it added.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, right, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, second from left, sit down for a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The fighter jet sale, worth $18.82 billion, includes 50 F-15IA fighter jets — the Israeli variant of the advanced F-15EX — and kits for the Israeli Air Force’s existing F-15 aircraft, along with other equipment.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanked Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for the approvals. The sales will advance “critical force buildup initiatives that assist Israel in developing and maintaining its qualitative military edge in the region,” Gallant wrote on X.

“This includes incorporating F-15IAs into the IAF fleet of fighter aircraft, and providing critical munition to ensure Israel’s capabilities and security,” he added. “As we fight to defend Israel on 7 different fronts, your message of support and commitment to Israel’s security, are clear.”

Last year, Israel submitted a formal request to the US regarding the procurement of 25 F-15IA fighter jets, with options for 25 more.

In May, Biden froze a shipment to Israel that included 2,000-pound bombs as he warned against a mass-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where vast numbers of displaced Palestinians were living.

But the administration said it has not stopped other weapons and dismissed complaints in June by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States was slowing down deliveries.

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