Alwaght-Israeli regime officials have asked the US Congress for an additional $317 million to be added to the proposed budget for the regime's missile programs, as Press TV reported.
The funds requested by Israel are in addition to the $158 million the Pentagon proposed for the fiscal year that starts on October 1, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday .
According to a report published by Bloomberg on Friday, the funds are for Israeli David's Sling and Arrow 3 missile systems .
"Israel’s latest lobbying on Capitol Hill, instead of through the White House and Pentagon, comes at a low point in political relations between the US and Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress on March 3,” the report said .
The report further said Yair Ramati, the director of Israel’s missile organization, met with the members of the US Congress on February 2 and 3 to outline the request for further funds and to express thanks for the US help .
The US funds Israel’s missile systems separately through an annual $3.1 billion given to it as “foreign military financing” in order to purchase arms via the State Department and foreign operations budget, according to the report .
For the present fiscal year, Congress added around $347 million for missile programs, including the Iron Dome, bringing the total to $620 million .
US lawmakers also approved an additional $225 million in emergency funds for the Iron Dome .
The White House or the US Defense Department in relation to the extra money raised no objections .
The Arrow 3, which is called Hetz 3 in Hebrew, is supposed to be a more advanced version of the Arrow 2 .
The Arrow system, built to function against some ballistic missiles, made its first battery operational in October 2000 .
The Iron Dome is a short-range rocket system designed to intercept rockets and artillery shells fired from a range of between four and 70 kilometers .
David's Sling is designed to deal with large-caliber artillery rockets, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles .
