A recent report from Haaretz highlights the fluctuations in the number of flights from the United States to Israel carrying armaments, showing a peak in November with a significant drop thereafter. The data, based on publicly available information, revealed a total of 22 cargo flights in October, which surged to 47 in November following the severe Hamas attack on October 7. Most of these flights landed at the Nevatim air base in southern Israel, according to Times of Israel.
The subsequent months saw a decline: 37 flights in December, 20 in January, 8 in February, 11 in March, 17 in April, 7 in May, and 9 up to the current month. It's important to note that this data does not encompass shipments arriving by sea, which typically carry a larger volume of weapons compared to those transported by air.
This dynamic has led to some tension between the US and Israel. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accused the US of "withholding" weapons shipments, pointing out a "dramatic drop" in the transfers. This accusation was made in a video statement and elicited a strong response from Washington. The US government firmly denied any broad withholding of armaments, clarifying that only one transfer of heavy bombs had been held back by President Joe Biden. The reason cited was the concern over the use of these bombs in Rafah, a densely populated Palestinian city.
Despite this friction, recent developments suggest progress in resolving the issue. Both Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the Biden administration announced on Wednesday that they have been working towards improving the flow of arms from the US to Israel, addressing the concerns raised by Jerusalem about the perceived insufficiency in arms supplies.