Israeli defense officials worry about depleted Pentagon stockpile of military equipment due to shipments to Ukraine

‘These are Israel's reserve stockpiles for times of war,’ says former Israeli Cabinet minister

Israeli officials are voicing concerns about the dwindling amount of U.S. munitions stored in the country due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Quoting unnamed Israeli and foreign officials, Israel Hayom newspaper reported on Thursday that Washington’s plans to replenish Israel’s reserve stockpiles, which were transferred to help Ukraine in its fighting against Russia, are still unclear.

For decades, U.S. military equipment has been stored in Israel, ready to be used in the case of an emergency or during wartime. In late 2022, the Biden administration decided to transfer parts of the Israel-based stockpile for use in Ukraine. According to the New York Times, the former Israeli government, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, symbolically approved the White House decision.

Israeli defense officials now claim that the current low stockpile could pose a risk to the Jewish state, given the challenging security situation in recent weeks.

"These are Israel's reserve stockpiles for times of war," a former Cabinet minister told Israel Hayom. "The move has had a bigger implication in light of threats against Israel on multiple fronts."

An American official told the paper that replenishment is contingent upon the pace of munitions manufacturing in the U.S. He added that the decision to shift Pentagon resources away from Israel reflects the U.S. pivot toward China and Ukraine, with less emphasis on the Middle East.

The report mentioned that, for months, American munitions have been sent out of the Port of Ashdod, “mainly on Saturdays – to avoid drawing media attention.”

Tal Heinrich