Between October 7, 2023 and September 30, 2024, the United States spent at least $22.76 billion to enable Israel’s war and related US operations in the region.
The whistleblowing organization WikiLeaks estimates that the Americans accounted for as much as 73% of the military costs associated with the invasion of Gaza.
According to an analysis by Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, the US government has provided at least $22.76 billion in military aid in recent years – a sum that includes $17.9 billion in direct military assistance and another $4.86 billion to pay for US military operations in support of Tel Aviv.
“This estimate is conservative; while it includes approved security assistance funding since October 7, 2023, supplemental funding for regional operations, and an estimated additional cost of operations, it does not include any other economic costs”, the report states.
It further notes that the $17.9 billion is “substantially more than in any other year since the U.S. began granting military aid to Israel in 1959” – but that the actual amount paid for by US taxpayers is apparently much higher than that.
“Related U.S. military operations in the broader region since October 7 are part of the fuller picture. In particular, the U.S. Navy has significantly scaled up its defensive and offensive operations against Houthi militants in Yemen, which the Houthis claim is related to Israel’s war in Gaza. Hostilities have escalated to become the most sustained military campaign by U.S. forces since the 2016-2019 air war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria”, it adds.
The US has funded 73% of the military costs associated with the attack on Gaza.
According to an analysis by Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, the US government has provided $22.76 billion in military aid to Israel since the conflict began… pic.twitter.com/0K3Z6jeAhl
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 30, 2024
Israel’s most important ally
The conflict with the Houthis is also estimated to have cost the shipping industry an additional $2.1 billion – as it has been forced to reroute ships or just “exorbitant insurance fees”.
“U.S. consumers may experience paying higher prices for goods as a result”, the report authors estimate.
The US has long been Israel’s most important ally and there is broad support among both Democratic and Republican politicians to continue supplying money and weapons to the Israelis – despite the many reports and alarms that Israel is committing abuses, war crimes and even genocide in Gaza.
However, the unabashedly pro-Israeli stance has led to widespread protests, with younger Americans on the political left in particular demonstrating, calling for boycotts and occupying university campuses, government buildings and other sites to force those in power to break with Israel. Thousands of demonstrators have also been arrested in connection with the protests.
