Israel’s Defense Ministry in the past 24 hours welcomed the first aerial delivery of military equipment and munitions critical to the Israel Defense Forces, part of a large-scale aerial and maritime airlift.
Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz and Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram have prioritized bolstering Israel’s strategic endurance and ensuring “uninterrupted operational readiness” in the event of possible escalation across multiple fronts, the ministry said.
The airlift operation is expected to scale up in the coming days. It is being carried out jointly by the Defense Ministry’s Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) through its International Shipping Division, the Defense Ministry Missions to the United States and Germany, the IDF Planning Directorate, the Israel Airports Authority and the Israel Civil Aviation Authority.
On the maritime side, the ministry and the IDF completed the reception and unloading of a cargo ship docked at the port of Haifa over the weekend, carrying tons of military equipment, including dozens of Humvees and trucks, the ministry’s spokesperson said on Saturday.
The shipment arrived before the start of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Saturday morning, in which Israeli and American forces launched a preemptive attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Since the Hamas-led invasion into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, 1,150 cargo aircraft and 166 ships have arrived in Israel carrying over 130,000 tons of munitions and military equipment, of which over 6,500 tons were delivered in 90 flights and shipments in recent weeks, according to the ministry.
“The shipping effort will continue to intensify in the coming period as part of ‘Operation Roaring Lion,’” it added.