IRIA News

The U.S. Department of Defense has detailed the military and intelligence support it is providing to Israel in its fight against Hamas attacks. According to some sources, the White House and U.S. Congress are crafting an emergency $2 billion aid package for Israel.

There is bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress to provide all possible support to Israel for its fight against Hamas. The possible funding of $2 billion would go toward replenishing Israel’s stockpile of interceptors for its Iron Dome missile defense system, artillery shells, and other munitions. “We’re heading into a war for many, many weeks, maybe several months, in which the objective is to dismantle Hamas,” U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman said. 

The White House has so far not confirmed or denied its plans to provide increasing military aid to Israel. “We’re in active conversations with Congress about additional funding that we know we need specifically for Israel and Ukraine,” White House National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said.

Biden pledges military aid and support for Tel Aviv

U.S. President Joe Biden made his stance clear earlier this week on the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Gaza-based militant group Hamas. “We stand with Israel,” the president said during an announcement at the White House. “There are still so many families desperately waiting to hear the fate of their loved ones, not knowing if they are alive or dead or hostages,” Biden said as he revealed that the United States has also enhanced its military force posture in the region to strengthen deterrence.

Biden assured unwavering support for Israel as its military continues to bomb Gaza after an unprecedented attack from the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7. “We’re going to continue to stand united, supporting the people of Israel who are suffering unspeakable losses,” Biden said. Pledging more military assistance for Israel, the U.S. president said: “We’re surging additional military assistance, including ammunition and interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome” anti-missile system of Israel. “We’re going to make sure that Israel does not run out of these critical assets to defend its cities and its citizens,” Biden said.

Israel already receives $3.8 billion in annual military aid from the United States, making it the single largest recipient of U.S. military financing.

Pentagon orders deployment of aircraft carrier and fighter jets

In response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East region, the Pentagon has ordered the deployment of Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft to squadrons in the region along with several naval destroyers and its most advanced aircraft carrier.

“These posture increases were intended to serve as an unequivocal demonstration in deeds, and not only in words, of U.S. support for Israel’s defense and serve as a deterrent signal to Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and any other proxy across the region who might be considering exploiting the current situation to escalate the conflict,” the senior defense official said.

U.S. working with Israel to resolve hostage crisis

The U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there are U.S. citizens among the hostages Hamas has taken. He confirmed that the U.S. is coordinating with the Israeli forces to counter the attacks by sharing key military intelligence. 

“We are working with the Israeli government and with our regional partners on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the U.S. government to advise the Israeli government and coordinate with them on hostage recovery efforts,” he said during a White House news conference. “As the President said, there is no higher priority than the safety and well-being of American citizens being held hostage overseas.” 

Biden’s remarks on the ongoing war in Israel and its support for Israel confirm that the conflict is far from over. With the U.S. military and intelligence support, the escalating conflict stands to inflict even more destruction and suffering in the Gaza Strip, a 40-kilometer-long (25-mile) strip of land wedged among Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea that is home to 2.3 million Palestinians.

The attack by Hamas killed some 1,200 people in Israel while Israeli retaliatory airstrikes have killed nearly 950 Palestinians in Gaza.