The United States has spent at least $22.76 billion on military aid to Israel and on related U.S. operations in the region from Oct. 7, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024, according to a new report from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University.
“It has been difficult for the U.S. public, journalists and members of Congress to get an accurate understanding of the amount of military equipment and financial assistance that the U.S. government has provided to Israel’s military during the past year of war,” the report states.
The authors highlight the challenges in pinpointing the exact dollar figure due to various channels of aid and lack of transparency in some arms deals.
The $22.76 billion figure includes at least $17.9 billion in security assistance approved by the U.S. government since Oct. 7, 2023, and $4.86 billion spent on U.S. military operations in the region, particularly in and around Yemen.
The study notes that this estimate is conservative, as it does not account for future spending commitments made during the year or other economic costs such as increased security assistance to other countries and impacts on U.S. consumers.
The report details that the federal government has made at least 100 arms deals with Israel since October 2023 that fell below the value requiring congressional notification.
Weapons deliveries during this period include 57,000 artillery shells, 36,000 rounds of cannon ammunition, 20,000 M4A1 rifles, 13,981 anti-tank missiles, and 8,700 Mk 82, 500-pound bombs.
On Aug. 13, the administration announced an additional $20.3 billion in arms agreements with Israel to be executed in future years, which is currently being debated in Congress.
“Altogether, Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. aid since World War II,” the study notes, emphasizing that the military assistance approved during the past year is substantially more than in any other year since military aid to Israel began.
Beyond direct military aid to Israel, the report sheds light on broader, U.S. war-related spending in the region.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, the U.S. Navy has significantly increased its defensive and offensive operations, primarily defending maritime shipping from attacks by Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
According to the report, this aspect of the conflict, which the Houthis claim is related to Israel’s war in Gaza and is underreported in U.S. media according to researchers, has cost the U.S. government $4.86 billion, contributing to the total minimum known U.S. spending of $22.76 billion over the past year.
The conflict with the Houthis has also resulted in an additional $2.1 billion in lost maritime trade due to shippers being forced to divert vessels or pay high insurance fees.
“U.S. consumers may experience paying higher prices for goods as a result,” the report warns, indicating broader economic impacts beyond direct military expenditures.
The study also examines the longstanding commercial relationships between U.S. weapons manufacturers—such as Boeing, RTX (formerly Raytheon), Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics—and the Israeli government.
“In the context of over $22.76 billion the U.S. government has spent on one year of war, it is essential to look at who benefits financially from weapons sales,” the report states.
These commercial ties are cited by the U.S. government as one of the reasons for continuing to supply foreign militaries, including Israel’s, with weapons and equipment.
The report’s authors emphasized the need for greater transparency and public awareness regarding U.S. military spending in support of Israel and related operations in the region.
They say the true costs are likely higher than the conservative estimates provided, due to unaccounted future commitments and other economic impacts not included in the $22.76 billion figure.
