According to reports, the ammunition will be diverted to Israel in advance of a planned invasion of Gaza by the US.
Tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells that the US had planned to provide to Ukraine will now go to Israel, according to Axios on Thursday. According to reports, the Israeli military informed the Pentagon that it need the shells to be ready for an invasion of Gaza by ground forces.
Only US forces have access to the munitions that the US has on hand at a site in Israel. The US started removing rounds from this facility and another stockpile in South Korea earlier this year to satisfy Ukraine’s enormous need for ammunition.
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Israeli officials informed the news outlet that, at the US government’s express request, ammunition from its own stockpile that was intended for Ukraine will now be added to this stockpile. The shells will reach Israel, according to the officials, in the upcoming weeks.
The report is released one day after US Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel. The US president offered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “massive, unprecedented” package of military help, according to Netanyahu, after their meeting in Tel Aviv.
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From his statement, it is unclear if the Israeli PM was making a reference to the artillery projectiles.
A critical period for Ukraine coincided with the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict. While American authorities are apparently preoccupied with delivering weapons to Israel, Kiev is currently pressing European countries that can’t manufacture the guns it needs. This is because its summer counteroffensive only yielded minor gains at a tremendous human cost.
Last week, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky paid an unannounced visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels and stated, “We need some support from the leaders.” Long-range missiles or other long-range weaponry are crucial. How do I acquire it? is the issue.
Washington can afford to wage two wars abroad, according to US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. However, Congress’s funding for Ukraine is running out, and it’s been reported that President Joe Biden is now attempting to persuade a Republican Party that is becoming less supportive of Kiev by tying $60 billion in military and economic aid to a $10 billion package for Israel, which the GOP has historically been more willing to support.
In its conflict with Hamas, Israel has not yet made extensive use of artillery, preferring instead to bombard Gaza with aircraft and engage Hezbollah fighters in intermittent gunfights in Lebanon and the Golan Heights with artillery and tanks. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Thursday that a ground operation would occur “soon,” although Israeli troops are presently gathered near the Gaza border in readiness for that event.
According to Israeli officials, artillery would be “urgently” required for such an operation.
