Title: US Approves $147 Million Artillery Ammunition Sale to Israel

The US government announced on Friday that it has approved, "emergency" style, the sale of artillery ammunition to Israel worth $147.5 million without going through Congress. Washington had also previously approved an emergency sale of nearly 14,000 120mm tank shells for use in Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated that Israel requested to add fuses, detonators, and 155mm shells to the previous sale request, increasing the estimated total cost from $96.51 million to $147.5 million, necessitating a new notification. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that "there is an emergency requiring this immediate sale to the Israeli government," which allows the request to bypass Congressional review. According to the statement, the ammunition will come from US military stockpiles. It added that "Israel will use the enhanced capability to deter regional threats and bolster its defenses," noting that "all countries must use munitions in accordance with international humanitarian law."