The US State Department has notified Congress of a planned $8bn (£6.4bn) arms deal to Israel, a US official has confirmed to the BBC.
The arms shipment, which needs to be approved by House and Senate committees, includes air-to-air missiles for use against airborne threats, including drones, the official said.
The move comes just over two weeks before President Joe Biden leaves office. A source familiar with the sale told the BBC: “The president made clear that Israel has the right to defend its citizens, in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.”
In August, the United States agreed to sell fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel worth $20 billion.
