The U.S. government is considering selling Israel up to 50 new F-15 fighter jets, 30 AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, as well as Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, equipment that can alter dumb bombs into precision-guided weapons, Politico first reported.
A House Foreign Affairs Committee aide later confirmed to The Hill that the administration informally notified the relevant congressional panels of the sale.
The aide confirmed that “the chairman approved the transaction to proceed to formal congressional notification.”
The sale, which is still pending U.S. government approval, comes as there are growing calls for President Biden to withhold arms for Israel if it won’t take actions to limit civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip.
A brutal air and ground campaign launched by the Israeli military against Hamas militants in the enclave since October has already killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children.
Many, including those within Biden’s own party, have also argued that the commander-in-chief should refuse to give Israel weapons should it launch a large-scale invasion into Gaza’s southern city Rafah. More than 1 million Palestinian civilians are sheltering there after being driven from northern parts of the territory due to fighting.
American officials have warned against a ground invasion of the city without an accepted plan to move civilians from harm’s way.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
