The US has sent 500 planes and 107 ships carrying military equipment to Israel [Getty]
Israel’s defence ministry has said that some 50,000 tons of military equipment and armaments from the US has been delivered to Israel since 7 October.
The military hardware has been delivered by 500 transport planes and 107 ships. The military said that the deliveries are “crucial for sustaining the [military’s] operational capabilities during the ongoing war”.
It added that included in the deliveries were “armoured vehicles, munitions, ammunition, personal protection gear, and medical equipment”.
Since Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel that saw around 1,200 people killed, the US has ramped up its military aid to the country.
US shells and munitions have been used extensively in Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed at least 40,435 people and wounded a further 93,534 others.
Israel’s incessant bombardment of the enclave has damaged or destroyed at least 70 percent of its infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, housing and sewage and water treatment.
US military aid to Israel, which is usually $3.8 billion per year, now stands at at least at $15 billion following a congressional aid package that passed in April.
On 13 August, the Biden Administration approved an arms sale of up to $20 billion which included the sale of 50 F-15IA jets, an Israeli variant of the new F-15EX Eagle II, and 25 upgrade packages to Israel’s existing F-15 fleet. They are expected to arrive in 2029 at the earliest.
The announcement comes amid calls for the US to place an arms embargo on Israel over the indiscriminate use of US weapons in its bombardment of Gaza, with US doctors returning from the enclave being the latest to make such a call.
Washington had paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs over concerns of Israel’s invasion of Rafah, however the invasion went ahead and officials have since told reporters that at least 10,000 2,000-pound bombs have been sent to the country.
The US has also assisted Israel military action in other theatres, including shielding Israel from an Iranian attack in April and tracking Hezbollah rockets and drones fired at Israel on Sunday.