Biden Administration Advances $680 Million Weapon Package to Israel

The Biden administration has confirmed the advancement of a significant $680 million arms package to Israel, which includes thousands of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits. This announcement came hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on November 27, 2024. Despite the timing, US officials stressed that the weapons sale is unrelated to the ceasefire agreement and has been in the works for several months.

According to reports from The Times of Israel, the sale of JDAMs, which will aid in precision-guided munitions, is just one of many defense shipments approved by the US in the wake of ongoing threats to Israel, particularly from Iran-backed groups. US officials clarified that these arms were part of a broader, long-term support strategy for Israel's defense, and that shipments would not start for at least another year.

The Biden administration's assurances came amid media reports suggesting that the US might have conditioned weapons sales on Israel’s acceptance of the ceasefire. The US official emphasized that the JDAM package had been in progress well before the ceasefire deal and was not linked to it.

While the US State Department declined to confirm specifics of the weapons deal, it reaffirmed its "unwavering" support for Israel’s security. The department also reiterated that all weapons transfers comply with US law, which prohibits their use in war crimes or in situations where humanitarian aid is being blocked.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently suggested that the US had been delaying arms shipments to Israel, implying that these delays would end following the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. However, US officials swiftly denied these claims, explaining that the only withheld shipment concerned 2,000-lb bombs, which were temporarily held back due to concerns about their use in densely populated areas.

US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein, who played a key role in negotiating the ceasefire, also denied allegations from Netanyahu’s office that the US had used threats at the UN to pressure Israel into the ceasefire deal.