Record-breaking military assistance includes both emergency war aid and continued baseline support, creating one of the most extensive foreign aid commitments in American history
Total American military aid to Israel has exceeded $37 billion since the Gaza war began in October 2023, combining $29.9 billion in emergency war-related assistance with approximately $7 billion in regular aid that continued flowing under an existing 10-year Memorandum of Understanding. This unprecedented total represents one of the fastest and most significant foreign military aid commitments in American history, fundamentally transforming the scale of the United States’ involvement in Israel’s conflicts.
The massive aid package reflects efforts to address arsenal shortages in Israel’s multi-front war and the continuation of baseline military support that never stopped during the conflict. While emergency appropriations and Trump administration commitments grabbed headlines, the steady flow of regular aid under the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding added billions more to the final tally. This combined total demonstrates the true scope of American taxpayer investment in Israel’s military operations since October 7, 2023.
Emergency War Aid: $29.9 Billion in Unprecedented Support
The foundation of this report stems from emergency assistance provided since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. The $17.9 billion in wartime aid approved during the first year of the conflict represented one of the largest single-year military assistance packages in US history to any regional ally. This was followed by nearly $12 billion in additional commitments approved by the Trump administration since January 2025, bringing total emergency aid to $29.9 billion.
The Biden administration repeatedly used emergency authorities to fast-track critical munitions, including thousands of precision-guided bombs, artillery shells, and advanced missile systems. By March 2024, the US had approved more than 100 arms sales to Israel, reflecting the intensity and scope of American military support during the conflict’s crucial early months. The arsenal provided included some of the most sophisticated weapons in the American inventory, with officials confirming the transfer of ten thousand 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles since October 7.
The Trump administration has dramatically accelerated this support, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio signing emergency declarations to expedite approximately $4 billion in arms transfers while eliminating oversight mechanisms that had been imposed during the final months of the Biden presidency. This represents just the initial tranche of the broader $12 billion Trump administration commitment, which officials have described as reversing what they characterized as the previous administration’s “partial arms embargo.”
Baseline Aid Continues: $7 Billion in Regular MOU Funding
Often overlooked in discussions of wartime aid is the continuation of regular military assistance under the existing 10-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016. Throughout the 22-month war period, Israel has continued receiving its scheduled $3.8 billion annually in baseline military aid, adding approximately $7 billion to the total American investment during this conflict.
This regular aid consists of $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing and $500 million for cooperative missile defense programs including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow systems. Unlike emergency appropriations, this funding flows automatically under the existing agreement and doesn’t require new Congressional approval. The current MOU, negotiated during the Obama administration, runs through fiscal year 2028 and represents a additional $38 billion total commitment over the ten-year period.
The continuation of baseline aid during wartime demonstrates the institutionalized nature of US-Israel military cooperation, which operates independently of specific conflicts or crises. Even as emergency aid dominated headlines, this steady flow of regular assistance ensured Israel maintained access to advanced American military technology and support systems throughout the conflict period.
Regional Military Escalation: Hidden Costs of Broader Engagement
Beyond direct aid to Israel, the $37 billion total reflects broader regional military commitments that have drawn the United States deeper into Middle Eastern conflicts. Related US military operations in the broader region since October 7 have cost the federal government at least $4.86 billion, primarily for sustained naval campaigns against Houthi militants in Yemen who began attacking commercial shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The most significant additional expense has been Operation Prosperity Guardian and related missions, which have required multiple aircraft carrier deployments, extensive missile strikes, and a permanent naval presence in the Red Sea. This has become the most sustained military campaign by US forces since the 2016-2019 air war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, with American personnel in the region increasing from 34,000 on October 7 to approximately 50,000 at the conflict’s peak.
These regional operations have imposed broader economic costs on American consumers and global trade. Houthi attacks on commercial shipping have forced vessels to take longer routes around Africa, adding an estimated $2.1 billion in additional maritime trade costs that ultimately impact American consumers through higher prices for imported goods. These supply chain disruptions represent hidden costs beyond the direct military expenditures tracked in official aid figures.
Congressional Appropriations and Emergency Powers
The $37 billion total has been facilitated through a combination of traditional Congressional appropriations, existing MOU commitments, and controversial emergency powers that bypass normal oversight. Congress approved multiple emergency funding packages, most notably $14.3 billion in emergency military assistance in April 2024, representing one of the largest single appropriations for Israeli military aid in American history and demonstrating broad bipartisan support despite growing domestic opposition.
However, much of the emergency aid has flowed through executive branch authorities that allow rapid weapons deliveries without Congressional review. The Biden administration used these powers repeatedly, and the Trump administration has dramatically expanded their use while eliminating oversight mechanisms.
The scale of emergency aid has created tension between different branches of government and within Congress itself. While broad bipartisan support exists for Israeli security, demonstrated by a 422-6 House vote in July 2025 to reject attempts to cut even $500 million in routine missile defense funding, domestic support among the general population has plummeted.
Long-term Strategic and Economic Implications
The $37 billion commitment reflects a fundamental realignment of American foreign policy priorities and military commitments in the Middle East. This level of support effectively makes the United States a co-participant in Israel’s military operations, with American weapons, intelligence, and diplomatic cover enabling the scope and duration of current conflicts across multiple fronts.
The massive aid package also has significant implications for American defense industrial capacity and global arms markets. The American government has cited commercial ties between weapons manufacturers and the Israeli government as justification for continued high levels of military assistance, creating powerful economic incentives for sustained support regardless of specific security circumstances. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle where aid supports American defense contractors while strengthening arguments for continued assistance.
Looking forward, the $37 billion total likely represents only the beginning of long-term commitments. With conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon ongoing, Houthi attacks continuing in the Red Sea, and broader tensions with Iran escalating, the ultimate cost of American military involvement in this regional conflict may reach far higher levels. The Trump administration’s removal of conditions and oversight mechanisms suggests that future aid packages will flow with even fewer restrictions, potentially making the current $37 billion figure a baseline rather than a ceiling.
The next 10-year MOU, which will be negotiated before the current agreement expires in 2028, will likely reflect lessons learned from this conflict and Israel’s demonstrated need for larger munitions stockpiles and more advanced defensive systems. With the current war having exposed equipment shortages and increased operational tempo, the next MOU may well exceed the current $3.8 billion annual commitment, further institutionalizing high levels of American military support for decades to come.