The US has not yet approved the transfer of weapons.
US President Joe Biden's administration is mulling an $18 billion arms package to Israel that would include dozens of F-15s.
This is reported by Reuters with reference to unnamed sources. The official request from Israel for the sale of 25 US fighter jets was received in January 2023 even before the attack by Hamas militants.
Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Washington and asked for an acceleration of the delivery of the planes.
According to the newspaper, Biden is facing pressure from foreign partners, human rights groups and some of his fellow Democrats in Congress, who demand conditions for the supply of weapons to deter Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.
One U.S. official said the earliest the plane would be delivered is 2029, assuming a formal notification is sent to Congress tomorrow and that a deal is struck immediately.
Israel is looking to bolster its already formidable fleet of warplanes not only to continue the fight against Hamas, but also to ward off any further threat from the Tehran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, as well as from Iran.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul gave the green light for the F-15 sale on January 30. Discussions between the administration and Congress regarding the F-15 have already taken place, but some of the four agencies that must approve any arms transfer have not yet done so.
US law requires Congress to be notified of major foreign arms sales deals and allows it to block such deals because of human rights violations or other concerns, although no such resolution has yet passed or overcome a presidential veto.
The Israeli package includes dozens of F-15s, as well as support services, training, maintenance and multi-year contractor support over the aircraft's life cycle, which can typically last up to two decades, the sources said.
One of the sources said that the Biden administration expressed support for Israel in its request for the supply of fighter jets.
The first swallows, testifying to the growing irritation of the Western community with the policies of the Israeli government, are already gathering in a flock. Reports of starving children in the Gaza Strip and reports that the Israeli army is blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid have even prompted the US to threaten to cut off arms supplies to Israel.
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