Media: Biden administration moves to approve $8 billion arms sale to Israel

The Biden administration has notified Congress "informally" of an $8 billion arms sale to Israel, which includes munitions for fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery shells.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Axios that this arms sale is expected to be the final one approved by the Biden administration to Israel, per Caliber.Az.

The announcement comes amid recent claims from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies that President Biden had quietly imposed an "arms embargo" on Israel. In response to these claims, some Democrats have urged the Biden administration to tie arms sales to Israel to its handling of the war in Gaza and its approach to the humanitarian crisis there. However, Biden has resisted such conditions.

The sale is part of a long-term agreement, with some munitions to be sourced from current U.S. stocks, while most will take several years to be produced and delivered.

According to the sources, the arms package includes AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for fighter jets, designed to defend against airborne threats such as drones. The deal also includes 155mm artillery shells, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles for attack helicopters, small diameter bombs, JDAM tail kits (which convert "dumb bombs" into precision-guided munitions), 500-lb warheads, and bomb fuzes.

One source familiar with the deal stated that the State Department informed Congress the sale is intended to "support Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defence capabilities."

A US official added, "The President has made clear Israel has a right to defend its citizens, consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, and to deter aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations. We will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defence."

By Tamilla Hasanova