The United States State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale to Israel involving artillery equipment and related support services, including 12,000 air bombs, according to a report by Xinhua.
The deal is valued at approximately USD151.8 million, the department said in a statement.
It explained that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had determined that an emergency situation existed, allowing the sale of defence articles and services to Israel to proceed immediately in the interest of the United States’ national security.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made a determination and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists which requires the immediate sale of defence articles and defence services to the Government of Israel in the national security interest of the United States, thereby waiving the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act,” the statement said.
The department added that the proposed sale is expected to enhance Israel’s ability to address current and future threats while strengthening its homeland defence capabilities and acting as a deterrent against regional threats.
The package also includes engineering support from US government and contractor personnel, as well as logistics, technical support services and other programme-related assistance.
Such defence cooperation between Washington and Tel Aviv reflects the longstanding strategic relationship between the two countries, particularly amid heightened security tensions in the Middle East.
According to reports, the United States and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran beginning February 28, which resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, several senior military commanders and hundreds of civilians.
Iran subsequently retaliated with multiple waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and US assets across the region.
