Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Pope Leo XIV: Peacemakers do not flee, but dare to stay even if it costs them some sacrifice.
The Pope to the Lebanese: You are a diverse country and a community made up of communities united by one language, the language of hope, which has allowed you to start anew.
Pope Leo XIV to the Lebanese: You are a people who do not give up, but a people who persevere in the face of difficulties and know how to be reborn.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli occupation targets bulldozer working to remove rubble of destroyed home in Shebaa.
IRGC sources tell Al Mayadeen that reports of Iranian missile strikes on northern Iraq are false, calling them rumors spread by enemy-linked media.
Trump: Venezuela airspace should be considered 'closed in its entirety'
AFP: Ukraine behind attack on Russian 'shadow fleet' tankers in Black Sea
Sheikh Qassem: We, our allies, the honorable in our nation, our people, and our army will never accept being subservient to the US or 'Israel'
Sheikh Qassem: They must despair, for whatever they do, this people cannot be defeated or broken, and we shall neither fall nor yield
Sheikh Qassem: Threats neither advance nor delay matters, yet the possibility of war or its absence exists because 'Israel' and the US are weighing their options

Biden bypasses Congress, approves 14k Merkava shells sale to 'Israel'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Dec 2023 21:52
  • 3 Shares
3 Min Read

The Pentagon says the Arms Export Control Act emergency declaration was used to fast-track the sale and delivery of the tank shells to the Israeli occupation entity.

  • x
  • Biden bypasses Congress, expedites 14k Merkava shells sale to 'Israel'
    An Israeli soldier moves a 155mm artillery shell near a self-propelled howitzer near the Palestinian-Lebanese border (AFP)

US President Joe Biden used his emergency authority to bypass Congress' approval for a sale of 14,000 Merkava shells to the Israeli occupation entity, the Pentagon stated on Saturday.

Reuters reported on Friday that Washington requested earlier this week from Congress to approve a sale of 45,000 Merkava tank shells to "Israel" to be used in the war on Gaza, as the brutal aggression on the Strip crossed its two-month mark.

According to the report, the US State Department was pushing for expedited approval, despite the review of such requests by eleven Congress committees usually taking weeks.

The State Department used an Arms Export Control Act emergency declaration for the tank cartridges worth $106.5 million for immediate delivery to "Israel", the Pentagon announced.

Read more: Yemen prevents 'Israel'-bound ships from passing via Arabian, Red seas

The original sale put forward for approval was worth $500 million and comprised 45,000 shells, the news site reported, pointing out that it was not part of the fund of $110.5 billion earlier requested by Biden for both Ukraine and "Israel".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken detailed to Congress the justification of the sale, asserting that the prompt provision of tank shells to "Israel" aligns with the national security interests of the United States, the statement read.

In the invoice's details, the United States Army will tap into its inventory to supply 120mm M830A1 High Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose with Tracer (MPAT) tank rounds and related hardware to the occupation entity.

The approval comes less than one day after the US vetoed a UNSC resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, coming against the overwhelming majority voting in favor 13-1.

Meanwhile, in its latest report, the Palestinian Health Ministry revealed that the death toll from the Israeli aggression on Gaza has risen to 17,700 martyrs, over 70% of which are children and women, with 48,780 citizens injured with various injuries since the launch of the Israeli war on October 7.

Read more: Israelis say they received over 10,000 tonnes of military equipment

Do as you shall but faster

In a similar context, an Axios report published on Sunday, citing an Israeli senior military official, revealed that the United States is neither imposing a deadline on "Israel" regarding its war on Gaza nor "pulling the brakes" on the invasion, but is only suggesting that time is running out for "Israel".

The Israeli military official highlighted that the US prefers a faster conclusion of the war and fewer civilian deaths, claiming that the occupation entity shares that desire.

"But there is another player here and this is the enemy that doesn't agree," he said, adding, "The U.S. understands this. We are working together. We need them and they need us."

Meanwhile, a National Security Council spokesperson stated, "These are Israeli military operations, and the Israelis will decide their course. We will continue to support Israel's efforts to defend itself from Hamas terrorists."

Read more: US supplied 'Israel' with 16 types of weapons in 2023: Axios

  • United States
  • Gaza Strip
  • Occupied Palestine
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Palestine
  • Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Merkava tank
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation forces
  • Hamas
  • Gaza

Most Read

13 elite Israeli troops were wounded in a confrontations in Beit Jinn, Syria.

13 elite Israeli troops wounded in confrontations in southern Syria

  • West Asia
  • 28 Nov 2025
Russia and China are not part of the Resistance Front, but they are playing an important role in building structures to bypass US power and thus facilitate a multipolar and freer world. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

The Resistance Front and BRICS

  • Opinion
  • 29 Nov 2025
Four killed, ten wounded in targeted California shooting in Stockton

Four killed, 10 wounded in 'targeted' California shooting

  • US & Canada
  • 30 Nov 2025
Point-blank killings: 'Israel' executes 2 Palestinian youths in Jenin

Graphic footage: IOF execute 2 Palestinians from point blank in Jenin

  • Politics
  • 27 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Footage released by the Russian Federal Security Service revealing devices meant to be used for an assassination plot in Crimea, Russia, December 1, 2025 (Sputnik)
Politics

FSB foils Ukrainian plots to assassinate Russia official, gas pipeline

Thousands of Israelis line-up to apply for the Portuguese citizenship.
Politics

Thousands of Israelis line up to apply for Portuguese citizenship

Investigators examine the scene of a mass shooting Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Stockton, California (AP)
Miscellaneous

4 killed, incl. 3 children, in Stockton birthday party mass shooting

Algeria hosts a conference for an African drive to criminalize colonialism.
Politics

Algiers hosts conference for African drive to criminalize colonialism

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS