WASHINGTON: The American airlift of war materials to Israel is continuing at a rate of 20 aircraft a day, United States Defence Department spokesman Jerry Friedheim said today [Oct 24]. United States military air traffic through the Azores towards the Mediterranean yesterday returned to the peak level reached at the height of the Middle East fighting, according to reliable reports. US officials said the [US] plans to provide Israel with military weapons until the Israeli Government is satisfied it is adequately armed. …

“We are going to continue supplying military assistance to Israel until they feel that they are adequately armed,” one official said. He said the Israelis, not US officials, would determine what constituted being “adequately armed”. Administration sources said they saw no contradiction between continued US supplies of equipment to Israel and intensified American diplomatic efforts to reinstate a ceasefire. Administration sources were asked if it was the US understanding that the Soviets also would continue their military airlifts to the Arab States. “We assume they will,” the officials replied. “They have an awful lot of equipment to replace for the Arab States.”

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2023