Since the outbreak of war in Gaza and the subsequent escalation of conflict in the Middle East, the United States has delivered a record military aid package exceeding $17.9 billion to Israel, according to a report from Brown University's Cost of War Project, released on the anniversary of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation.

Researchers, as reported by the Times of Israel, noted that the U.S. has also spent an additional $4.86 billion on increasing military operations in the region since the October 7, 2023 attacks. This includes the U.S. Navy's military campaign aimed at curbing Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, which the group claims to conduct in support of Gaza.

Linda J. Bilmes, a professor at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School, calculated these costs alongside researchers William D. Hartung and Stephen Semler. They have been estimating the costs of U.S. wars since the September 11 attacks.

Most of the American arms delivered to Israel over the past year consisted of munitions, including artillery shells, 2,000-pound penetrator bombs, and precision-guided munitions. The study estimates that about $4 billion has been allocated to upgrade Israel's Iron Dome and David's Sling missile defense systems, as well as aviation fuel.

The study emphasizes that, unlike the documented military aid to Ukraine, it has been nearly impossible to obtain comprehensive details regarding the shipments from the U.S. to Israel since October 7, making the $17.9 billion figure a partial estimate.

It also points out the Biden administration’s efforts to obscure the full amounts of aid and types of weapons through bureaucratic manipulation.

On October 7, Hamas launched the largest attack on southern Israel since the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948, resulting in the deaths of 1,205 individuals, mostly civilians, according to figures compiled by AFP based on Israeli statistics, including hostages killed or who died during their captivity in Gaza.

During the attack, 251 people were abducted, with 97 still being held, including 33 whom the military states have died. Hamas militants infiltrated military bases, kibbutzim, and a music festival, with Israeli authorities reporting that at least 370 people were killed at the Nova music festival alone.