The United States refused to provide Israel with Apache helicopters

The administration of US President Joe Biden rejected an Israeli request to purchase Apache attack helicopters, and reports indicated that Israel submitted its request for Apache helicopters weeks ago, a request that the Israeli government returned and submitted to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during his visit to Israel earlier this month.

The US refusal came at a time when the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevy, suggested on Tuesday, that the war launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip will continue for several months, and the Biden administration wants Israel to move quickly to the third stage of the aggression, thus reducing the number of casualties after it exceeded the 20,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the injury of more than 50,000 others.

In turn, Ambassador David Mack, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, pointed out that the United States has limited quantities of these main aircraft for our armed forces.

Moreover, there may be a priority in planning to supply Ukraine with these helicopters for a possible attack next year.

He added, “Given that the Israeli Air Force is killing Palestinians in Gaza as well as West Bank cities, it’s logical for the Biden administration to stop providing offensive weapons… Moreover, we don’t want to encourage Israel to open a new front against Lebanon, where Apache helicopters armed with Hellfire missiles will be an addition key to the Israeli arsenal”.

Although some reports have stated that the US Department of Defense has categorically rejected the Israeli request, there are those who say that no decision has been made regarding a final and strict rejection.

For his part, former US diplomat, Wolfgang Pusztai, considered that “if this is the final decision – and the decision hasn’t yet been made according to my information – then this is certainly another strong sign that Washington isn’t satisfied with the way Israel is managing the war, especially with regard to the large number of civilian casualties”.

Pusztai pointed out that “there will be no immediate impact of this decision on the battlefield in Gaza, because helicopters will certainly not be available to Israel in the coming weeks or months”.

Reports indicate that there aren’t a sufficient number of pilots to fly Apache helicopters in Israel, which forced the Israeli army to call up retired pilots in the 54-55 age group for active service, even though their age is higher than 51 years, which is the traditional maximum for flying this helicopter.

Analysts believe that Biden’s refusal came as a result of strong criticism of Washington’s support for the genocidal war on Gaza.

Washington’s refusal to give Israel more Apache helicopters, despite continuing to provide military aid to Israel without stopping since the outbreak of the conflict, represents an indication of Washington’s disagreement with Israel’s continued war in the same ways that have continued since Hamas attack on October 7.

Sources in Washington indicated that the issue of the Apache helicopters was raised during a meeting between Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a key advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

Dermer previously served as Israel’s ambassador to the United States from 2013 to 2021.

The Apache attack helicopter has enjoyed great popularity among the military since its first combat appearance in 1986.

It’s manufactured by Boeing, and its average price is about $52 million.

Reports indicate that Israeli Apache 64-AH attack helicopters participated in direct attacks against Hamas fighters using a 30 mm chain gun and Hellfire missiles.

Since the outbreak of the last war in Gaza, Israel has received 2,000 laser-guided Hellfire missiles for use by Israeli Apache helicopters, along with 36,000 rounds of 30 mm ammunition.

Israel has two squadrons of Apache helicopters (48), stationed at Ramon Air Base in the Negev Desert.

The Israeli Air Force still relies heavily on the most advanced helicopter in the world in its aggression and daily strikes against the Gaza Strip, and against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.