CNN
—
The United States has transferred US munitions stored in Israel for use in Ukraine and plans to send more soon, US and Israeli officials told CNN on Wednesday.
A US official told CNN they have moved “some” of the 300,000 155-millimeter shells that the US and Israel had agreed to transfer, with plans to move the remaining amount in the coming weeks.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Richard Hecht told CNN that the Americans had informed the Israelis some time ago that they were handing over ammunition. Hecht said the munitions belong to the US, their movements are “American business” and they do not need Israeli permission to move the munitions.
The New York Times first reported that the U.S. military is tapping its ammunition stockpile stored in Israel for use in Ukraine, noting that Israeli officials had initially “raised concerns about the appearance of complicity in arming Ukraine.”
Israel has walked a fine diplomatic line during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While Israeli leaders have condemned the invasion, supported Ukraine in the United Nations, sent humanitarian aid and taken in refugees, Israel has taken a hard line on sending military aid, citing its own security sensibilities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said before taking office in late December that he would review Israel’s policy on Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Pressure on arms supplies – and the ability of the US industrial base to keep up with demand – is one of the key challenges facing the Biden administration as the US continues to send billions of dollars in arms to Ukraine to advance its fight against Russia. to support. CNN previously reported that a US official said stocks of certain systems are “dwindling” after months of sending supplies to Kiev at high intensity during the war because there is a “finite amount” of excess supplies the US has available to ship .
CNN reported in November that the US planned to buy 100,000 artillery rounds from South Korean arms manufacturers to supply to Ukraine as part of a broader effort to find available weapons for the intense battles unfolding in Ukraine.
Source link
