DUBAI, September 27. /TASS/. The US' latest $8.7 bln aid package to Israel is their way of "rewarding murderers and criminals," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani Chafi said.

"The Israeli authorities have announced the receipt of a new $8.7 bln US aid package to maintain its military superiority in the region. <...> These sums are nothing more than a reward for murderers and criminals from their benefactor. The world can see clearly that the US is a bosom buddy in Israel’s war crimes, which include the Palestinian genocide and the current crimes against the Lebanese people," Kanani wrote on his X social media page. The diplomat noted that Washington claims the aid to Israel is for self-defense. He expressed frustration that "the US considers the killing of nearly 42,000 people in 11 months in Palestine and over 1,500 people in four days in Lebanon to be 'self-defense.'"

On September 26, the Israeli Defense Ministry's press office announced that Israel will receive a substantial $8.7 bln US aid package from Washington "to support Israel's ongoing military efforts." The Defense Ministry specified that the aid package comprises $3.5 bln for essential wartime procurement and $5.2 bln designated for air defense systems, including the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and an advanced laser system.