An American F-15 fighter participates in training with the Israeli army in the Negev Desert (Reuters - Archive)
Reuters quoted 3 informed sources that the administration of US President Joe Biden is considering approving a deal to arm Israel worth $18 billion, which includes dozens of F-15 aircraft and ammunition.
One of the sources said that the sale of 25 F-15 aircraft to Israel has been under review since the United States received a formal request in this regard in January 2023.
The second source said that accelerating the delivery of aircraft to Israel was among the most important demands of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during his visit to Washington last week, during which he held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
He added, "Deliberation has already taken place between the administration and Congress on the issue of F-15 aircraft," but he pointed out that among the four congressional offices charged with signing off on armaments, there are those who have not done so yet.
The third source said that the Biden administration expressed its support for Israel's request to purchase F-15 aircraft.
On the other hand, an aide to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives said that Committee Chairman Michael McCaul approved the sale on January 30, when the congressional offices responsible for approving large arms operations were notified.
US law stipulates that Congress must be notified of large agreements related to the sale of military equipment to foreign countries. An informal review process by the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Foreign Affairs Committees allows such agreements to be considered before Congress is formally notified.
One of the sources said that the deal includes a large number of F-15 aircraft, aircraft ammunition, and some support, training and maintenance services.
Washington provides annual military aid worth $3.8 billion to Israel, and the US administration has so far opposed demands to impose conditions on arms supplies, even though prominent American officials criticize Tel Aviv due to the high number of civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip, as they put it.
Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza for about 6 months, leaving tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, amid warnings from international organizations of famine, especially in the northern Gaza Strip, as a result of the occupation restricting the entry of aid.
The United States is Israel's main supporter in this war, as it established an air and sea bridge to supply it with thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition.
Source: Al Jazeera + Reuters