Video: US President Biden's declaration in Israel clarifying that the return of abductees is a top priority/Photo: Reuters
The U.S. Defense Department is expected to send Israel tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to replace those taken months ago from U.S. emergency warehouses in Israel and delivered to Ukraine, three senior Israeli officials said.
Why it's important:
- The IDF and Defense Ministry have made clear to the Pentagon that they urgently need the artillery shells to be prepared for a ground operation in Gaza as well as a scenario of a broader escalation with Hezbollah on the northern border, the Israeli officials said.
- Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has significantly increased the use of artillery shells both in Gaza and on the border with Lebanon.
IDF to Pentagon: "We urgently need artillery shells"/official website, US Army
Reminder:
- Since the beginning of the year, the United States has removed tens of thousands of 155mm shells from its ammunition stockpiles in Israel and sent them to Ukraine for the war with Russia.
- Last year, when the United States informed Israel that it intended to take the ammunition, no one in the Israeli or American defense establishment thought that a scenario in which Israel urgently needed it was likely.
- Senior IDF officials told Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz at the time that there was no immediate scenario in which Israel needed an emergency supply of 155mm shells, and therefore the removal of American ammunition from Israel would not harm the army's preparedness.
- The ammunition transferred to Ukraine was part of American arsenals stationed in Israel as part of an agreement between the two countries.
- The warehouses are locked and only U.S. soldiers can routinely gain access to them. However, in an emergency, Israel can request American permission to take the ammunition from the warehouses at short notice.
- During the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Israel received American permission to withdraw ammunition from these emergency depots.
The US will send the shells to Israel in the coming days and weeks/Government Press Office, without
News Focus:
- After the Hamas attack, the IDF and Defense Ministry assessed Israel's immediate needs for weapons supplies and submitted a list of requests to the Pentagon.
- One of the Israeli requests was to recall tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to refill U.S. emergency depots, the officials said.
- The Israeli officials also noted that the United States agreed to the request and would send the shells to Israel in the coming days and weeks.
- One senior Israeli official said the shells were part of those taken from Israeli warehouses but had not yet been delivered to Ukraine. They will now be returned to Israel.
US official: "We can support Israel and other countries around the world"/Reuven Castro
What they say:
A senior U.S. military official told Walla! Because he cannot give details about the types and quantities of weapons that the US supplies to Israel.
The official said that the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. military have strong global supply capabilities that will make it possible to support Israel and other countries around the world.
"We are working closely with U.S. Army Central Command to see what ammunition and equipment from the U.S. inventory can be transported quickly according to Israel's needs," the official said.
- More on the subject:
- United States
- Idf
- ammunition
- weaponry
- Shells
- Missiles
- Iron Sword War