US army to double weapons stockpiled in Israel

The US military plans to double the amount of military equipment it has stockpiled in Israel under a recent agreement with Tel Aviv.

“The deal will double the value of military equipment kept on Israeli soil from 400 million to 800 million dollars,” a Pentagon spokesman, Major Shawn Turner told AFP.

He ruled out the notion that Iran’s nuclear issue was a major factor for the agreement and said that the US Congress initially authorized the expansion in 2007.

“This is not in any way related to Iran or the current situation as the authorization was from 2007,” he stated.

Washington’s staunch ally Israel could have access to the weaponry in a military emergency.

US missiles, armored vehicles, aerial ammunition and artillery ordnance are already stockpiled in Israel. The United States began by stockpiling $100 million worth of military equipment in Israel in 1990.

In December, US President Barack Obama granted $ 2.775 billion in security aid to Israel. The aid is accompanied by special additions to the Israeli military industries for the development of technologies, particularly in the missile field.