The administration of US President Joe Biden has informed Congress that it intends to approve an $8 billion military aid package for Israel, Reuters reported yesterday. An aid package of this size requires approval by the House of Representatives and the Senate. It will include air-to-ground munitions and artillery shells.
In the first year of the Iron Sword War, which began in October 2023, the United States invested at least $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel, according to Israeli military estimates. Costs of War Project Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, USA. This is equivalent to 3.8% of Israel’s annual GDP.
Israel’s defense budget for 2025 is NIS 117 billion ($30.9 billion), representing 6.5% of GDP and 20% of the total state budget. Thus, American aid reaches 57.9% of Israel’s defense spending. This is without taking into account the $4.86 billion invested in increased US military activity in the region, such as assistance with Israeli air defense.
The basis of American policy in this regard is the principle of maintaining Israel’s qualitative military superiority over its enemies and potential enemies. The Watson Institute states that all of Israel’s 334 combat aircraft, which represent the main element of its qualitative advantage, are American-made aircraft. The Israeli Air Force also operates more than 40 Apache helicopters, also from the United States. In the current war, the United States has supplied Israel with more than four million kilograms of aviation fuel, approximately 57,000 155 mm shells, 3,000 Hellfire missiles, 1,800 bunker-buster bombs, 200 loitering ammunition, and 20,000 rifles.
An unusual step even in the context of this war was the decision by the United States to deploy THAAD air defense systems in Israel to help intercept some of the missiles fired at Israel by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Published by Globes, Israel Business News – en.globes.co.il – on January 5, 2025.
© Copyright Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025
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