US releases $3.5B to Israel to spend on US weapons, military equipment

Washington is set to provide Israel with $3.5 billion to spend on US weapons and military equipment, releasing the money months after it was appropriated by the US Congress, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, Report informs referring to Reuters.

The State Department notified lawmakers on Thursday night that the government intended to release the billions of dollars worth of foreign military financing to Israel, CNN reported, adding that the money comes from the $14.1 billion supplemental funding bill for Israel passed in April.

Sources also told the multinational news source that it takes time for the money to be released from these packages, and also that Israel won't receive the $3.5 billion worth of American-made weapons immediately.

The funding that Israel receives is so that it can procure systems that are being built now, but won't see them delivered until several years later.