US spending on Middle East conflict tops $22 bn since Oct 7, highest aid given to Israel since 1959: Report

Since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, the US administration has invested over $22 billion in the fight, with $17.9 billion alone to support Israeli military operations on several fronts, according to a report, citing a recent research.

According to The Hill report, the Costs of War project at Brown University shows that the US has allocated at least $22.76 billion to support Israel over the past year, as well as to conduct related military operations in the region, including engagements with Iranian-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea.

The data, which captures costs through September 30, shows the US has provided at least $17.9 billion to support Israeli military operations in Gaza, along the Lebanon border, in the West Bank, and against Iran and its proxies. This amount represents the highest level of aid since US assistance to Israel began in 1959, added the report.

The aid package includes artillery shells, air defence munitions, precision-guided bombs, and heavy munitions, significantly impacting Gaza, where over 41,000 people have died. The Biden administration has withheld a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs since May due to concerns about civilian casualties.

Moreover, the US has spent at least $4.86 billion on military operations in the region, particularly against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea since November. The US military began a more direct campaign against the Houthis in January, including frequent strikes to intercept attacks.

According to the report, the navy has sometimes used missiles costing up to $4 million to eliminate relatively inexpensive Houthi drones, which have caused an estimated $2.1 billion impact on maritime trade.

To deter a wider regional conflict, the US has deployed approximately 43,000 troops to the Middle East, along with strategic assets like the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, amphibious assault ships, and a guided missile submarine, added the report.

The research is likely a conservative estimate, as it may not capture the full operational costs. Earlier this year, The Washington Post reported that the US has made 100 small arms deliveries that did not require congressional notification.

The figures also do not account for the $20 billion in arms sales to Israel that was announced in August, which will take years to be delivered.

With inputs from agencies