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US restocks Israel’s weapons supplies

July 31, 2014 at 10:52 am

Emergency arsenal:

Mortar launchers with a diameter of 120 millimetres

Bomb launchers and detonators to a diameter of 40 millimetres

Ammunition

Amongst other weapons

The US administration has given Israel access to its emergency weapons storage area which it keeps in the country, the Pentagon said yesterday.

The US Ministry of Defence said that on July 20 it received an emergency request from Israel asking for it to open its weapon stores; the request was approved within three days.

Israeli news website Yedioth Ahronoth said the US keeps more than $1 billion worth of weapons in Israel; this is intended for the use of the US military in an emergency.

According to the decision of the US Congress, Israel is also able to use these supplies in times of necessity.

It is reported that during the war of aggression on Lebanon, in July of 2006, the US allowed the Israeli army to renew its military arsenal from the US stores in the country.

In a statement, the Pentagon said the arsenal Israel requested has been stored in the country for years.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement: “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-defence capability.”

“This defence sale is consistent with those objectives.”