How US aid fuels Israel’s conflicts: summary

What we know

• Since October 2023, the U.S. has provided over $21 billion in military aid to Israel, underpinning its capacity to wage war across multiple fronts.
• Experts from the Costs of War Project and the Quincy Institute argue that Israel’s ability to maintain three military fronts is inseparable from U.S. logistical and financial support. American-made weapons and refuelling aircraft have been critical to Israel’s sustained aerial operations.
• The reports highlight that the United States has repeatedly used its UN Security Council veto power to block resolutions demanding ceasefires or investigations into civilian casualties. This protection has effectively insulated Israel from international censure as civilian deaths in Gaza and Lebanon continue to rise.
• The two new reports (from the Costs of War Project and Quincy Institute) estimate that total U.S. military contributions since 2023 reach $31–34 billion, including regional operations.
• Bipartisan support in the U.S. ensures that, regardless of administration, Israel remains the largest annual and cumulative aid recipient among all countries.

What they said

According to William D Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and the writer of the US Military Aid and Arms Transfers to Israel, October 2023–September 2025 report, “Given the scale of current and future spending, it is clear the [Israeli army] could not have done the damage they have done in Gaza or escalated their military activities throughout the region without US financing, weapons, and political support.”