Oct 12, 2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
A
bipartisan group of Senate Armed Services Committee members sent a letter to
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday requesting that the Pentagon send
Iron Dome batteries to Israel as the country faces near-constant rocket fire
from Hamas terrorists.
The letter, which was led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and co-signed by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), notes that the U.S. Army is in possession of two batteries for the Iron Dome, Israel’s famed missile defense system that launches interceptors to block incoming rockets.
The
anti-missile system has been in frequent use since last weekend’s terrorist
attack, with Hamas firing thousands of rockets into populated areas of Israel
since Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces says more than 4,500 hundred rockets
have been fired into the country since the carnage began, though most have been
intercepted.
"As
you know, the United States Army is currently in possession of two Iron Dome
batteries that have not been deployed and have no operational use inside the
United States where they are currently stored," the letter states.
"Immediately transferring these two Iron Dome batteries that are not in
use to Israel would provide tangible, life-saving and sustained support to our
ally as it faces rocket and missile salvos that threaten to overwhelm its
defenses."
"We likewise implore you to provide Israel with other defensive assets that could be useful as it faces this unprecedented onslaught of terrorist violence," the senators added.
The letter
requested a response from Austin by this Friday.
At least
1,200 people inside Israel and 22 Americans are dead as a result of the
carnage, while more than 2,500 have been injured. In addition, more than 1,000
Palestinians have died since the conflict erupted on Saturday.
Those
numbers do not account for the more than 100 Israelis and Americans being held
hostage by Hamas, the Iran-backed terrorist group that operates in Gaza and
carried out the assault.
Washington Examiner
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