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The U.S. Department of Defense announced on the 13th that the U.S. government approved a new round of arms sales to Israel worth more than $20 billion, including a large number of advanced equipment such as fighter jets and air-to-air missiles. At a time when the new round of conflict between Palestine and Israel is dragging on, the regional situation is becoming tense, and the momentum of the conflict is spreading. Critics pointed out that the U.S. move is tantamount to adding fuel to the fire. Instead of cutting off arms supplies to promote an early ceasefire, the U.S. continues to sell large amounts of arms to further escalate the conflict.

According to a statement issued by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on the 13th, this round of arms sales to Israel was approved by U.S. Secretary of State Blinken, including F-15 fighter jets and related equipment worth US$18.82 billion, medium-range air-to-air missiles worth US$102.5 million, 120mm tank ammunition worth US$774.1 million, high-explosive mortar shells worth US$61.1 million, and tactical vehicles worth US$583.1 million.

However, many foreign media predict that Israel will not receive this batch of weapons in the short term. According to the statement, the military equipment included in the contract will be produced in the next few years, and the earliest batch is expected to be delivered from 2026, and the F-15 fighter jets may have to wait until 2029.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Greenfield said at a UN Security Council meeting on the 13th that the U.S. goal is to reduce tension in the Middle East. But critics pointed out that the U.S. arms sales to Israel at this time are tantamount to adding fuel to the fire.

Mitchell, deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that the US arms sale appears to be "adding fuel to the fire and may consume millions of people in the region." Palestinian human rights activist Tariq Khalil said in an interview with Al Jazeera that the United States should have pushed Israel to sign a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip by stopping arms supply, but chose to sell large-scale arms to Israel at this time, which is undoubtedly hindering the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement. Josh Paul, a member of the Middle East Human Rights Organization, said that the US approval of large-scale arms sales is actually authorizing Israel to continue to attack the Gaza Strip and spread the conflict to Lebanon and other places.

Since the outbreak of a new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict on October 7 last year, the United States, as Israel's most important ally, has provided it with a large amount of weapons.

Source: CCTV News Client