US bipartisan bill aims to protect Israel from Iranian drones

According to a report by Jewish Insider, a bipartisan bill put forward as part of the National Defence Authorisation Act aims to increase US support for Israel to defend itself against Iranian drones.

The act, referred to as the US-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act of 2023, which proposes to raise the funding caps for US-Israeli counter-drone programmes from US$40 million to US$55 million per year, is sponsored by Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey and Republican Andrew Garbarino of New York, with strong support from both parties. 

According to the bill's text, it aims to amend the NDAA for the 2020 fiscal year "to make improvements relating to cooperation between the United States and Israel to counter unmanned aerial systems, and for other purposes."

The bill notes past drone attacks by Iran aimed at Israeli targets and those of other US allies in the region, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 

"Iran-origin unmanned aerial systems represent a threat to the Armed Forces and facilities of the United States in the Middle East, as well as to United States allies and partners such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates," the bill reads.

The bill points to instances of Iran launching drones into the airspaces of Israel, Yemen and Saudi Arabia and describes Iran's drone development.

This move comes as US President Joe Biden is facing criticism for not sufficiently supporting US allies in the Middle East. He continues to pursue an agreement with Iran as an alternative to the nuclear deal from which his predecessor withdrew.