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Pentagon Supports Emergency $225M for Israel's Iron Dome
(Defense News) Paul McLeary - In response to a recent Israeli request, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sent a letter to congressional leadership on Tuesday asking for $225 million in additional U.S. funding to accelerate production of Iron Dome missile-defense components to ensure Israel will have adequate stockpiles to protect itself from rockets launched by Hamas militants in Gaza. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Wednesday in a statement that "the only thing that stands between Israel and a barrage of Hamas rockets is the Iron Dome. We should ensure that Israel has the ability to utilize the Iron Dome and protect innocent civilians from rocket attacks during this crisis and into the future." In Hagel's letter, he told congressional leaders that while the agreement between the two countries stipulates that some production be done in the U.S., "Israel assesses that it will take another two to three years to reach full production capacity in the United States, which would not address Israel's current shortfall."