US plans $8 billion arms sale to Israel

(Patria) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms sale to Israel, two U.S. officials said.

The deal, which needs approval from the House and Senate committees, includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters, as well as artillery shells. The package also includes small-diameter bombs and warheads, sources said, Reuters reports.

One source familiar with the package said Biden had been clear that Israel has the right to defend its citizens "in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law" and that the U.S. would continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense.

Some of the munitions deliveries could be supplied from current U.S. stocks, while most would take several years to deliver, the source said.

The package includes AIM-120C-8 air-to-air missiles for defense against drones and other aerial threats, 155mm artillery shells, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and $6.75 billion in other bombs and guidance systems, one of the U.S. officials said.

Protesters have called for an arms embargo on Israel for months, but U.S. policy has largely remained unchanged. In August, the United States approved a $20 billion sale of fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel.

The Biden administration says it is helping its ally defend itself against Iran-backed militant groups such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.

Despite international criticism, Washington has stood by Israel during its assault on Gaza, which has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, caused a famine crisis, and led to accusations of genocide that Israel denies. Gaza's Ministry of Health estimates the death toll at over 45,000 people, with many buried under rubble.

Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to end the fifteen-month Israeli war in Gaza, which was launched by an attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli data.

Washington, Israel's largest ally and arms supplier, has also previously vetoed United Nations Security Council resolutions for a ceasefire in Gaza.