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

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Dec 2023 21:40

This marks the 200th cargo plane carrying tons of military equipment since the war on Gaza started.

Screengrab from a video depicting the moment an Israeli bomb hit a residential building in Gaza. The bomb in a 2000 pound US-supplied MK-84 bomb with an Israeli Spice-2000 guidance kit installed (Social Media)

The Israeli Ministry of Security announced the arrival of the 200th cargo plane delivering military equipment for the "Israel" Occupation Forces (IOF).

This marks the transportation of over 10,000 tonnes of military equipment to the Israeli regime since the start of the war on Gaza.

"The 200th cargo plane carrying military equipment for the [IOF] has arrived in Israel. Over 10,000 tons of military equipment were delivered since the beginning of the war, including armored vehicles, armaments, personal protective equipment, medical supplies, ammunition, and more," the ministry said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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

Referring to a comprehensive study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Arms Transfers Database, Axios reported that the United States has provided the Israelis with more than 70,000 units of weapons, including aircraft, ground vehicles, missiles, and bombs, as military aid between 1950 and 2022.

"Israel" stands as the largest recipient of U.S. foreign military financing, with the majority of aid taking the form of weapon grants.

According to Elias Yousif, a US arms transfer expert at the Stimson Center, it is a "safe assumption" that US weapons are extensively used in the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza.

In 2023 alone, the U.S. has supplied "Israel" with at least 16 types of weapons, including missiles and aircraft, although specific details regarding the exact numbers and types remain undisclosed.

The Pentagon has declared that it will not impose restrictions on how the Israeli Occupation Forces utilize U.S.-provided weaponry. However, the Biden administration has urged "Israel" to minimize civilian casualties and has endorsed humanitarian pauses in the conflict.

Zooming in on the types of weapons supplied, Axios mentions Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) as the most common weapon system provided by the US to "Israel".

Boeing recently expedited the delivery of 1,800 JDAM kits to "Israel", accelerating a 2021 sale originally slated for fulfillment over several years.

The US-armed genocide continues

The IOF renewed its genocidal campaign on the Gaza Strip when the Qatari-brokered temporary truce expired last Friday.

Since then, the regime has expanded the scope of its targeted areas to include the southern territories of Gaza.

As in the initial weeks of the Israeli aggression, the renewed campaign includes the targeting of civilian homes and infrastructure, hospitals, UN shelters, and places of worship.

Oftentimes, activists in countries whose governments are allied to "Israel" have attempted to prevent the shipment of arms, as in the case of Belgian union workers who blocked a shipment at Brussel's airport.

But it is not always the case that these shipments are blocked.

The US remains "Israel's" largest provider of financial and military support and is currently preparing a $106 billion aid package which is expected to be dispatched before year's end.