Netanyahu and Biden
Netanyahu and BidenTomer Appelbaum, Pool, Aryeh Leib Abrahams, Flash 90

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned in closed conversations with senior American government officials that a delay in American arms shipments to Israel would lead to a situation where an all-out war with Hezbollah would be imminent, Israel Hayom reported.

According to the report, in the last three months, senior officials in the Israeli defense system have been warning of a significant slowdown in arms shipments.

Despite the warnings, the Americans have continued to deny the problem or stated that they would address it, but nothing has changed.

"Months of talks. We talk and talk, and nothing happens," said the source. A political source added that only Netanyahu's public pressure could lead to the release of the delayed shipments.

Initially, the American concern was over Israel's military operation in Rafah, but now the Biden Administration is trying to forestall a war in Lebanon through the shipments of ammunition - which could lead to the opposite result, Israel fears.

Yesterday (Thursday), Netanyahu responded to criticism from US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. "I am prepared to suffer personal attacks provided that Israel gets the munitions it needs from the US," Netanyahu said.

Kirby said that the administration found the video Netanyahu released earlier this week claiming that the US was holding up weapons shipments “vexing and disappointing to us as much as it was incorrect.”

"It was perplexing, to say the least, certainly disappointing, especially given that no other country is doing more to help Israel defend itself against the threat by Hamas," Kirby said.

“This president put fighter aircrafts up in the air in the middle of April to help shoot down several hundred drones and missiles, including ballistic missiles that were fired from Iran proper at Israel,” he added. “There’s no other country that’s done more or will continue to do more than the United States to help… Prime Minister Netanyahu.”