WASHINGTON — The United States has approved $6.67 billion in arms sales to Israel, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and infantry assault vehicles, as a fragile cease-fire in the Gaza Strip faces repeated violations and international scrutiny.
The State Department said Friday the package would bolster Israel’s “strong and ready self-defense capability,” a core U.S. policy priority. The approvals come as rights groups and United Nations experts intensify calls for Washington to halt military transfers they say risk enabling grave abuses in Gaza.
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According to details released by the State Department and reported by Reuters, the package includes 30 AH-64 Apache helicopters valued at $3.8 billion, about $1.98 billion in infantry assault vehicles, and $150 million for light utility helicopters. A third military contract was approved at $740 million. Reuters said Boeing and Lockheed Martin are the contractors on the Apache sale.
“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the department said. “This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives.”
Israeli forces have widely used Apache helicopters in operations in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. At least 71,662 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Gaza health officials. Human rights organizations and U.N. experts have urged the U.S. to halt weapons shipments, arguing that continued transfers could contribute to violations of international law; Israel rejects those allegations and says its operations target Hamas and other armed groups.
Although a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, it has been punctured by intermittent strikes and raids. Nearly 500 people have been killed in Gaza since the agreement began, according to Gaza health officials, underscoring the volatility of a truce repeatedly tested on the ground.
The State Department on Friday also cleared a $9 billion sale to Saudi Arabia for 730 Patriot missiles and associated systems, designed to defend against incoming aerial threats. The department said the deal would “significantly improve Saudi Arabia’s contribution” to a broader integrated air and missile defense architecture in the region.
The twin approvals highlight Washington’s effort to reassure key regional partners even as tensions escalate. President Donald Trump said this week a large “armada” of U.S. warships has been repositioned near Iran amid concern over a possible confrontation. The Pentagon did not immediately provide further operational details.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian earlier this week, said the kingdom would not permit its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Iran or for attacks by any party, according to the Saudi account of the conversation.
U.S. assistance to Israel also flows through annual military aid beyond direct sales, a longstanding pillar of the bilateral relationship. Critics argue that unconditional support blunts U.S. leverage to press for restraint, while supporters say sustained backing is essential to deter Israel’s adversaries and stabilize the region.
Friday’s approvals will be formally notified and processed through standard U.S. channels. Neither the State Department nor Israeli officials immediately released a delivery timeline for the newly approved equipment.
The decisions arrive at a moment when Washington’s regional strategy is being tested on multiple fronts: holding a tenuous Gaza cease-fire, deterring spillover conflict, and keeping Gulf partners invested in U.S.-led air defense plans while avoiding a broader clash with Iran.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
