US has spent $22bn supporting Israel’s army since start of Gaza War: SIPRI

Since early October 2023, the United States has spent more than $22 billion on supporting Israel’s military operations, including in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria, a report says.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the US supplied 69% of Israel’s arms from 2019 to 2023, which increased to 78%.

By December 2023, the US had delivered over 10,000 tons of weapons worth $2.4 billion.

This number grew to 50,000 tons by August 2024, transported via hundreds of planes and ships.

As Israel’s biggest ally, the country has supplied a wide range of advanced military equipment, including missiles for the Iron Dome defense system, precision-guided bombs, CH-53 heavy lift helicopters, AH-64 Apache helicopters, and 155mm artillery shells, along with bunker-busting munitions and armored vehicles.

Since 1946, the US has provided over $310 billion in military and economic aid to Israel, adjusted for inflation, according to the American think tank, Council on Foreign Relations.

A 10-year $38 billion military aid deal signed in 2016 remains in effect, allocating $3.8 billion annually for foreign military financing and missile defense.

Emergency packages in 2024 added billions more, including $14.1 billion approved in February and a $2.5 billion arms shipment in March.

Concerns about their use in civilian areas have drawn criticism, with limited Congressional oversight over the transfers.

By 2024, the US had authorized over 100 arms deals for Israel, supporting its missile defense systems and replenishing stockpiles, despite ongoing scrutiny over the impact on civilian populations in Gaza.

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