Long shrouded in secrecy, the warehouses are part of an extensive but previously little-known stockpile now facing scrutiny as pressure mounts on the Biden administration over its support for Israel's bombardment of Gaza.
The stockpile was first established in the 1980s so US forces could be rapidly supplies for any future Middle East conflicts. Over time, however, Israel has been permitted in certain situations to draw from its extensive supplies.
Israel now appears to be receiving munitions from the stockpile in significant quantities for use in its attacks on Gaza, yet there has been little transparency about transfers from the arsenal.
In interviews with the Guardian, former US officials familiar with security assistance to Israel have described how the stockpile enables expedited arms transfers to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
It can also shield movements of US weapons from public and congressional oversight, they said.
"Officially it's US equipment for US use," a former senior Pentagon official said. "But on the other hand, in an emergency, who's to say we're not going to give them the keys to the warehouses?"
Since the Hamas assault on 7 October, Israel has dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Gaza, and it has been open about its demand for large amounts of US-supplied munitions.
There are widely held concerns that Israel's bombing of Gaza has been indiscriminate. And with close to 20,000 people dead, according to local authorities, the US is facing questions about the quantities and categories of bombs it is providing to Israel and the proportion being made available through the secretive stockpile.
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