Scoop: U.S. to send Israel artillery shells initially designated for Ukraine
Barak Ravid
The Pentagon plans to send Israel tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells that had been designated for Ukraine from U.S. emergency stocks several months ago, three Israeli officials with knowledge of the situation tell Axios.
Why it matters: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli ministry of defense told their U.S. counterparts they urgently need artillery shells to prepare for a ground invasion in Gaza — and a potential escalation of the war by Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border, Israeli officials say.
U.S. officials have suggested that diverting the shells from Ukraine to Israel would have no immediate impact on Ukraine's ability to fight against Russian troops.
But it's unclear whether U.S. military supplies to Ukraine could be stretched if the Israel-Hamas war becomes a broader regional conflict.
Zoom in: Since Hamas' attack on Israel ignited the war on Oct. 7, the Israeli military has significantly increased its use of artillery — both in Gaza and in skirmishes with Hezbollah on the Lebanon border.
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https://www.axios.com/2023/10/19/us-israel-artillery-shells-ukraine-weapons-gaza