Biden weighs decision to supply $18 billion worth of weapons to Israel
The administration of US President Joe Biden is weighing whether to proceed with a large $18 billion arms package to Israel, which will include dozens of F-15 aircraft and ammunition.
This was reported by Reuters.
The sale of 25 F-15s from Boeing has been under consideration since the United States received an official request from Israel in January 2023, agency sources said.
According to them, accelerating the delivery of the aircraft was one of the main requests of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who visited Washington last week.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul gave the green light for the sale on January 30.
Discussions on the F-15 request between the Biden administration and Congress have already taken place, but some of the four offices that must sign off on any arms transfers have not yet done so.
US law requires that Congress be notified of major foreign military sales transactions, and an informal review process allows committee leaders to vet such deals before official notification to Congress.
The package includes a large number of F-15s, aircraft munitions, and a range of support services, including training, maintenance, and long-term contractor support over the aircraft's life cycle, which typically lasts up to two decades.
Another agency source said that the Biden administration has expressed support for Israel's request for F-15s.
Recently, the United States and Israel have been discussing the planned operation against Hamas in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
