First Shipment of US Armaments Arrives in Israel Amidst Escalating Conflict with Hamas

Shipment of ammunition sent from the United States being unloaded from a cargo plane in an unknown location in Israel on Oct. 11, 2023, in a still from video. Israel Defense Ministry via Reuters/Screenshot via The Epoch Times

The first supply of U.S. armaments arrived in Israel on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, following a deadly attack by Hamas that prompted Israel to declare war for the first time since 1973.

The first plane carrying U.S. weapons landed at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel Tuesday evening, the IDF said, while thanking the United States for its support to Israel during this challenging time.

The IDF did not disclose the types of U.S. weaponry it received, only stating that they were “designed to facilitate significant military operations and increase preparedness for other scenarios.”

“Our common enemies know that the cooperation between our militaries is stronger than ever and is a key part in ensuring regional security and stability,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

The weapon shipment follows a brutal surprise attack in which more than 1,000 Hamas terrorists rampaged through southern Israel.

The attackers murdered more than 1,000 Israeli civilians, took hostages, engaged in rape and torture, and stole military equipment.

Israel has responded with its heaviest bombardment of the Gaza Strip, the Hamas stronghold, and has ordered a “complete siege” of the area.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that at least 830 people have died in Gaza since the escalation began.

The IDF said on Tuesday that dozens of fighter jets struck over 200 targets overnight in the Al-Furqan neighborhood in Gaza, which it said had been used as a terror hub for the terrorist organization Hamas.

“This is the third strike in the area during the last 24 hours, in which the IDF struck over 450 targets,” it stated.

The U.S. Department of Defense said that it has enhanced its military force posture in the region to boost deterrence. This includes deploying a carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean and bolstering fighter aircraft presence.

National security advisor Jake Sullivan said military supplies are already flowing into Israel, with interceptors for the Iron Dome missile defense shield leading the way.

“We’re also looking at other ways that we can help augment their air defense capabilities,” he said on Tuesday.

 ‘Act of Sheer Evil’

President Joe Biden has pledged that Washington would ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself and that it was surging military assistance, “including ammunition and interceptors to replenish Iron Dome.”

“So, in this moment, we must be crystal clear: We stand with Israel,” President Biden said in his remarks from the White House on Oct. 10.

“We’re going to make sure that Israel does not run out of these critical assets to defend its cities and its citizens.”

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the Hamas' attacks on Israel as Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken look on in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 10, 2023. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Mr. Biden denounced the attack as “an act of sheer evil,” which has killed at least 14 American citizens.

He also emphasized that Hamas “does not stand for Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination.”

“Its stated purpose is the annihilation of the State of Israel and the murder of Jewish people. They use Palestinian civilians as human shields,” he said.

“Hamas offers nothing but terror and bloodshed with no regard to who pays the price.

“Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right to respond—indeed has a duty to respond—to these vicious attacks,” the U.S. president added.

Smoke is seen in the Rehovot area as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters

Former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren described Mr. Biden’s speech as “the most passionately pro-Israel in history,” saying it affirmed the president’s support for the Jewish state and its people.

Blinken to Visit Israel

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with a team of diplomats, will travel to Israel this week to coordinate with Israeli leadership on its ongoing war with the Hamas terrorist group.  They are expected to leave the United States on Wednesday and arrive in Israel on Thursday.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the visit was vital to ensuring that Israel had the diplomatic, economic, and military support it needed to conduct its self-defense.

“First and foremost, the secretary has been engaged with our Israeli partners to ensure that Israel has everything that it needs to defend itself,” Mr. Miller said during an Oct. 10 press briefing.

“It will be a message of solidarity and support. He, of course, wants to hear from the leaders of Israel.”

Mr. Miller also clarified that the United States had no intention of joining Israel’s war and that the presence of an aircraft carrier in the region was intended to warn other powers away from exploiting the situation.

“We do not have any plans for boots on the ground or military action at this point,” he said.

Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.