Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanks Secretary of Defense Austin and Secretary of State Blinken: Your message of support and commitment to Israel’s security are clear.

US President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday approved more than $20 billion in new weapons sales to Israel, AFP reported.

In a notification to Congress, the State Department said it had approved a sale of 50 F-15 fighter-jets to Israel for $18.82 billion.

Israel will also buy nearly 33,000 tank cartridges, up to 50,000 explosive mortar cartridges and new military cargo vehicles.

The F-15 aircraft, which will begin to be delivered in 2029, will upgrade Israel’s current fleet and include radars and secure communications equipment.

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the State Department said in its notice on the F-15s.

On the tank cartridges, the United States said the sale “will improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future enemy threats, strengthen its homeland defense and serve as a deterrent to regional threats.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanked the US for the move, saying, “Thank you to Secretary of Defense Austin and Secretary of State Blinken for advancing critical force buildup initiatives that assist Israel in developing and maintaining its qualitative military edge in the region. This includes incorporating F-15IAs into the IAF fleet of fighter aircraft, and providing critical munition to ensure Israel’s capabilities and security.”

“As we fight to defend Israel on seven different fronts, your message of support and commitment to Israel’s security, are clear,” he added.

Last week, multiple officials told CNN that the US is set to provide Israel with $3.5 billion to spend on US weapons and military equipment, releasing the money months after it was appropriated by Congress.

The State Department notified lawmakers on Thursday night that the Biden administration intended to release the billions of dollars worth of foreign military financing to Israel, one of the sources said.

The money comes from the $14.1 billion supplemental funding bill for Israel that was passed by Congress in April, the sources said.

In early May, Axios reported that President Joe Biden decided to put on hold a weapons shipment that was supposed to be sent to Israel.

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