The Biden administration has used an emergency authority to allow the sale of about 14,000 tank shells to Israel without congressional review, the Pentagon said.

The State Department used an Arms Export Control Act emergency declaration on Friday for the tank rounds worth $106.5 million for immediate delivery to Israel, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The shells are part of a bigger sale that the Biden administration is asking the US Congress to approve. The larger package is worth more than $500m and includes 45,000 shells for Israel’s Merkava tanks, regularly deployed in Gaza.

Rights advocates expressed concern over the sale, saying it doesn’t align with Washington’s effort to press Israel to minimise civilian casualties.

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