Three days into President Trump’s second administration, contrary to earlier reports, the newly inaugurated government in Washington has yet to release the ammunition previously embargoed by the Biden administration, Israel Hayom reported on Friday, citing Israeli sources. The White House has not responded to requests for comment.
The Israeli side is uncertain about the cause of the delay, though it may be connected to the fact that a new Secretary of Defense has not yet been appointed.
As a reminder, President Biden had previously embargoed transferring 90-kilogram bombs to Israel, arguing that their use could result in mass casualties in Gaza. President-elect Trump, during discussions with Secretary Ron Dermer, pledged to release the ammunition immediately upon taking office. However, as of now, this has not yet happened.
The partial US arms embargo on Israel led to 134 D9 bulldozers that Israel had already paid for awaiting State Department approval to be exported.
Following the implementation of the hostage deal, the United States has begun partially lifting the arms embargo it previously imposed on Israel. According to security sources, approximately 70 Caterpillar D9 bulldozers, purchased by Israel around ten months ago, are expected to be loaded onto ships soon.
These bulldozers, part of a larger deal involving 130 bulldozers, had been delayed due to the American arms embargo. The decision to permit the shipment was made as part of agreements reached with both the outgoing and incoming US administrations to entice Israel to sign the hostage deal.
The D9s were critical tools in Gaza, allowing the IDF to push forward into dangerous areas to find tunnels and IEDs while minimizing the risk to ground troops. There are indications that the lack of new D9s prevented the IDF from advancing further in destroying Hamas in Gaza.
