Zionist regime secured a $5.2 billion agreement to acquire F-15 fighter jets, aligned with US military assistance

The $5.2 billion agreement forms a component of a larger U.S. aid package to the occupation regime, which received approval from President Joe Biden’s administration and Congress earlier this year.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday the signing of an agreement to procure 25 next-generation F-15 fighter jets from aerospace giant Boeing.

According to a recent statement, the aircraft will be outfitted with weapons systems that integrate existing Israeli armaments, while also featuring enhancements in range and payload capacity.

The ministry has stated that the upgraded aircraft will enable the air force to sustain its strategic advantage in confronting both current and future challenges in the Middle East.

Eyal Zamir, the Director General of the Ministry, reported that the Israeli government has finalized procurement contracts amounting to almost $40 billion since the initiation of the conflict impacting Palestinians in Gaza, which commenced in October last year.

According to Zamir, Israel’s “air power and strategic reach,” deemed “crucial,” has been demonstrated in recent operations targeting areas within the besieged Palestinian territory, affecting predominantly civilian populations.

In late September, Israel announced it had secured a fresh military aid package from the United States valued at $8.7 billion.

Since October of the previous year, Israel’s air force has conducted multiple operations in Gaza and Lebanon, with reports indicating that these strikes have affected civilian populations.

In recent months, the supply of arms from Western nations to Israel has persisted. The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and several other Western countries have been identified as the primary sources of lethal weaponry provided to Israel.

A recent report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reveals that in 2023, the United States accounted for 69% of Israel’s arms imports, highlighting the significant military ties between the two nations.

Germany emerged as the second-largest contributor, accounting for 30% of the total. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain were among the other smaller contributors.

Over 50 nations have collectively urged the United Nations to enforce an arms embargo on Israel, in response to the ongoing military operations by the Israeli regime in the Gaza Strip, which have been described as causing widespread devastation.

Over 100 journalists have urged the United States to enact a ban on arms transfers to Israel, citing Israel’s actions in the protracted conflict in the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in the deaths of Palestinian journalists and reporters.

On October 7, 2023, Israel initiated military operations in Gaza, following a surprise attack dubbed “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” by the Palestinian resistance organization Hamas. This escalation was in response to what Hamas described as ongoing aggressive actions and sustained devastation perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians over several decades.

The regime’s year-long violent offensive on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 43,400 Palestinians, according to recent reports.

Since late September, Israel has initiated an intensive aerial and ground offensive against Lebanon following protracted cross-border confrontations with the Hezbollah resistance movement amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Since the beginning of October last year, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 Lebanese individuals.