The US State Department has given its approval for the sale of tank projectiles and related equipment worth $106.5 million to Israel, according to sources in the Pentagon cited by Reuters.
The projectiles in question are multi-purpose anti-tank high-explosive shells known as M830A1, with a caliber of 120mm.
On December 8, the US administration requested Congress to authorize the sale of 45,000 tank projectiles to Israel for use in the operations of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza sector. This request comes in the midst of growing concerns over the use of American weapons in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as noted by Reuters.
On October 27, Israel announced the “expansion” of its ground operation in Gaza. The exact start date of this operation is unknown, but prior to it, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had already evacuated their homes and sought shelter in safe havens and in the southern part of the enclave. On November 5, as part of the ground operation, IDF forces surrounded the city of Gaza and cut off its supply routes. On December 5, the IDF initiated the third phase of the ground operation in the Gaza sector, surrounding the city of Khan Yunis in the south.
Earlier, Pope Francis stated that the world is engulfed in war due to the defense industry.
