The Biden administration is pushing ahead with a $680 million arms sales package to Israel, a U.S. official familiar with the plan said on Wednesday, even as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has come into effect.
The package, which was first reported by the Financial Times, includes thousands of joint direct attack munition kits (JDAMs) and hundreds of small-diameter bombs, according to the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The news comes less than a day after the ceasefire agreement ended the deadliest confrontation in years between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group, but Israel is still fighting its other arch foe, the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The package follows a $20 billion sale in August of fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel.
Reuters reported in June that Washington, Israel's biggest ally and weapons supplier, has sent Israel more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
In remarks late on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu listed the need to replenish weapons stocks as one of the reasons for the ceasefire. "And I say it openly, it is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon," he said.
The package has been in the works for several months. It was first brought to the congressional committees in September then submitted for review in October, the U.S. official said.
The conversations about the sale had been going on even as a group of progressive U.S. senators including Bernie Sanders introduced resolutions to block the sale of some U.S. weapons to Israel over concerns about the humanitarian catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
The legislation was shot down last week in the Senate. It was likely the last chance to stop any weapons sales before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
Biden has strongly backed Israel since Hamas-led gunmen attacked in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Most of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people has been displaced and the enclave is at risk of famine, more than a year into Israel's war against Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Gaza health officials say more than 43,922 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive.
U.S. law requires Congress to be notified of major foreign military sales agreements. An informal review process allows the Democratic and Republican leaders of foreign affairs committees to vet such agreements before a formal notification to Congress.
A State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the sale but said U.S. support for Israel’s security was "unwavering" against all Iran-backed threats, but added that Israel had a moral obligation to protect civilians.
Israel has accused Hamas of violating a ceasefire agreement after discovering that one of the bodies handed over during Thursday’s exchange did not belong to any known hostage. The military is demanding the return of the missing remains.
Three bombs exploded on empty buses near Tel Aviv in a major attempted attack, while two other devices were disabled. Israeli authorities are investigating, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation against Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages, including infants, in a highly publicised handover. The move comes amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations and a deadly 16-month-long war.
As Israel maintains control over key positions in southern Lebanon, the government in Beirut is calling for international pressure to ensure the full implementation of the November 27 ceasefire and increased support for Lebanese security institutions.
Hamas handed over the bodies of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, along with their mother Shiri Bibas and hostage Oded Lifschitz, on Thursday under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Red Cross vehicles carried the four black coffins, each bearing a photo of the hostages.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress for nearly $40 billion in disaster funding to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild areas scorched by last month's devastating wildfires, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing a letter.
San Francisco, February 17, 2025 – OpenAI has terminated a group of Chinese ChatGPT accounts that were reportedly used to edit and debug code for an AI-powered social media surveillance tool.
‘We are already negotiating to work together in space, we can collaborate in this sphere also," Russian leader says
Vatican City, February 20, 2025 – Pope Francis will not appear in public on Sunday to lead his customary prayer with pilgrims, marking the second consecutive week of absence, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
London, February 17, 2025 – A new analysis by Cancer Research UK has revealed stark inequalities in cancer mortality across the country, with death rates in the most deprived areas nearly 1.6 times higher than in wealthier regions.
A tragic crowd crush at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night left 18 dead and 10 injured as thousands of people, many heading to the Kumbh Mela festival, attempted to board delayed trains. The incident highlights the ongoing risks of overcrowding at public transportation hubs in India.
A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday, injuring 18 people. Officials are investigating whether strong winds and snow played a role in the incident.
Berlin, February 21, 2025 – German citizens will head to the polls on Sunday, February 23, for a snap general election after the coalition government collapsed late last year.
BERLIN, Feb 22 (Reuters) - NATO is planning to build a pipeline system from Germany to Poland and the Czech Republic to ensure a rapid supply of jet fuel for fighter aircraft in the event of a war with Russia, weekly German magazine Der Spiegel reported.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress for nearly $40 billion in disaster funding to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild areas scorched by last month's devastating wildfires, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing a letter.
A second meeting between representatives of Russia and the United States is planned for the next two weeks, the RIA state news agency reported on Saturday, citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Washington, D.C., February 21, 2025 – U.S. negotiators have reportedly raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service unless Kyiv reaches an agreement to grant the United States greater access to its critical minerals.
Hamas has begun releasing hostages from Gaza on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, as Israel confirmed that a body handed over earlier was that of hostage Shiri Bibas.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress for nearly $40 billion in disaster funding to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild areas scorched by last month's devastating wildfires, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing a letter.
San Francisco, February 17, 2025 – OpenAI has terminated a group of Chinese ChatGPT accounts that were reportedly used to edit and debug code for an AI-powered social media surveillance tool.
‘We are already negotiating to work together in space, we can collaborate in this sphere also," Russian leader says
Vatican City, February 20, 2025 – Pope Francis will not appear in public on Sunday to lead his customary prayer with pilgrims, marking the second consecutive week of absence, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
London, February 17, 2025 – A new analysis by Cancer Research UK has revealed stark inequalities in cancer mortality across the country, with death rates in the most deprived areas nearly 1.6 times higher than in wealthier regions.
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