WASHINGTON \u2014 The Pentagon has quietly ramped up military aid to Israel, delivering on requests that include more laser-guided missiles for its Apache gunship fleet, as well as 155mm shells, night-vision devices, bunker-buster munitions and new army vehicles, according to an internal Defense Department list.<\/p>\n
The weapons pipeline to Israel is extending beyond the well-publicized provision of Iron Dome interceptors and Boeing Co. smart bombs. It continues even as Biden administration officials increasingly caution Israel about trying to avoid civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip. <\/p>\n
The arms sought by Israel as it fights Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. and European Union, are listed in a document labeled \u201cIsrael Senior Leader\u201d requests that\u2019s dated late October and is circulating in the Pentagon.<\/p>\n
The arms are already being shipped or the Defense Department is working to make them available from stockpiles in the U.S. and Europe, according to the document reviewed by Bloomberg News. As of late October, for example, all 36,000 rounds of 30mm cannon ammunition, 1,800 of the requested M141 bunker-buster munitions and at least 3,500 night-vision devices were delivered, the tally shows.<\/p>\n
A Pentagon spokesman declined to discuss specifics, but the Defense Department said in a statement that it\u2019s \u201cleveraging several avenues \u2014 from internal stocks to U.S. industry channels \u2013 to ensure Israel has the means to defend itself.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThis security assistance continues to arrive on a near-daily basis,\u201d according to the statement. It said the U.S. was rapidly providing precision-guided munitions, small-diameter bombs, 155mm artillery shells and other munitions. That\u2019s along with Iron Dome interceptors and medical support equipment.<\/p>\n
The provision of artillery shells and other munitions has drawn criticism from nongovernmental organizations that say the U.S. supplies have allowed Israel to press ahead with a bombing campaign that Hamas-run health authorities in the Gaza Strip say have killed more than 10,000 people.<\/p>\n
In a letter Monday, more than 30 relief organizations wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urging him not to send the 155mm shells in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Gaza, one of the world\u2019s most densely populated places, 155mm artillery shells are inherently indiscriminate,\u201d the organizations said. \u201cThese munitions are unguided and have a high error radius.\u201d They said the shells often land 25 meters (82 feet) away from the intended target.<\/p>\n
The ammunition for AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships includes about 2,000 Hellfire Laser Guided missiles made by Lockheed Martin Corp., some of which Israel has transferred to its forces as U.S. Army teams seek supplies from stocks in Germany and South Korea, according to the tally. It also includes more than 36,000 rounds of 30mm ammunition to be fired by the Apache\u2019s cannon.<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s defense forces have flown the Boeing-built Apaches for years.<\/p>\n
The Israeli military appears to be using the Apache helicopters \u201cto support Israel troops in contact with Hamas fighters, using their 30mm chain guns against fighters caught out in the open and Hellfire missiles against vehicles and fighting position or bunkers used by Hamas,\u201d Michael Eisenstadt, director of military and security programs at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an email. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey may also be using Hellfires for the targeted killing of senior commanders when the opportunity presents itself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Israel has also requested more than 57,000 155mm High Explosive artillery shells and 20,000 M4A1 rifles, as many as 5,000 PVS-14 night vision devices, 3,000 M141 hand-held bunker-buster munitions that U.S. Central Command is supplying, 400 120mm mortars and 75 of the Army and Marine Corps\u2019 new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, which is replacing the Hummer.<\/p>\n
According to the tally, the U.S. has also donated its inventory of 312 Tamir missile interceptors. The Army\u2019s two Iron Dome batteries are traveling to Israel by sealift.<\/p>\n
The weapons shipments include a reverse trip for 155mm shells. The 57,000 had been sent from U.S. stocks in Israel to U.S. European Command locations to restock munitions that were sent to Ukraine for its fight against Russia\u2019s invasion. Now the restocked munitions are being sent back to Israel for its use in the conflict with Hamas, according to a congressional aide and U.S. officials.<\/p>\n
In contrast to Israel, the U.S. has provided more than 2 million 155mm shells and more than 800,000 105mm rounds to Ukraine, according to a new State Department summary.<\/p>\n
Israel has also requested 200 armor-piercing Switchblade 600 dive-bombing drones made by AeroVironment Inc. Ukraine has bought the drones directly from the company. <\/p>\n
The U.S. Army doesn\u2019t have any Switchblade 600s in its inventory. It\u2019s unclear whether AeroVironment has the drones in stock or would need to build them. An AeroVironment spokesperson declined to comment. <\/p>\n
The U.S. could steer Foreign Military Financing grants for purchase through the Foreign Military Sales process, according to an industry official familiar with the issue. DefenseScoop, a Washington-based defense technology newsletter, disclosed the Switchblade 600 request earlier. <\/p>\n
_____<\/p>\n