US spent more than $22 billion to arm Israel, fight Houthis: Report

• The US has spent more than $22 billion on conflicts in the Middle East in the past year, a new report says.
• This figure covers US military aid to Israel and US operations in the region.
• These operations include the Pentagon’s fight against the Houthis.

The US spent more than $22 billion on military operations and conflicts in the Middle East last year, according to a new report.

The Costs of War Project, a Brown University research initiative, found that the US has spent at least $22.76 billion on providing arms to Israel and related US military operations in the Middle East since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks triggered a wider regional area. conflict.

That figure covers costs up to the end of September and was made public in a report on Monday. This consists of at least $17.9 billion in approved security assistance for Israel and at least $4.86 billion for US military operations, including the Red Sea battle against the Houthis.

The $17.9 billion is the most the US has spent on military aid to Israel in a single year since 1959, according to the report, which notes that its estimates are “conservative” and do not cover all financial assistance.

The Biden administration has been sending Israel artillery shells, anti-tank missiles, guided bombs, kit bombs, drones and other weapons since October 2023. Israel has used this weaponry to fight Iran-backed proxies, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Yemen’s Houthis.

The Pentagon has also substantially strengthened its military presence in and around the Middle East since the start of the Gaza war last October, sending additional troops, warships and fighter jets to the region to defend Israel and US forces from Iran and its proxy groups.

US military operations in the region, including the ongoing Houthi conflict, have cost the country at least $4.86 billion. This figure provides a more comprehensive picture of the fight beyond the cost of ammunition expenditure, which has already been revealed.

The Houthis have consistently attacked commercial shipping lines in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with missiles and cheap drones. In response, US naval forces have routinely shot down these threats and conducted strikes against Yemeni rebels, using munitions often worth millions. The US has also used its assets to protect Israel from Iranian attacks.

“Hostilities have escalated to become the most sustained military campaign by US forces since the 2016-2019 air war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria,” the report said, calling the Houthi fight “an unexpectedly complicated and disproportionately costly challenge.” .

As the regional conflict shows no signs of slowing down, military spending is likely to rise, in addition to the staggering death toll, which is already extremely high after a year of fighting.

Hamas killed more than 1,200 people in the brutal attacks on October 7. Israel’s vengeful and devastating war in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the coastal enclave’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Thousands have also been killed in Lebanon, especially in recent weeks as Israel has stepped up its military campaign against Hezbollah.