WASHINGTON (TNND) — As the war with Iran puts a renewed spotlight on America’s relationship with Israel, one question keeps coming up: just how much U.S. taxpayer money has gone toward supporting Israel, and what, if any, restrictions come with it?

The scale of U.S. aid

Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid since World War II. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States has provided more than $300 billion in total economic and military assistance to Israel since 1948, when adjusted for inflation.

That long-term support is largely structured through multi-year agreements. The current 2019-2028 Memorandum of Understanding, signed during the Obama White House, commits the U.S. to $38 billion over ten years—including $33 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and $5 billion for missile defense systems.

According to the U.S. Department of State, that breaks down to roughly $3.3 billion annually in military aid, plus $500 million per year for missile defense, bringing the typical baseline to about $3.8 billion annually.

But recent conflicts have driven that number higher. Following the October 7 attacks, Congress approved additional funding packages that included $3.5 billion in FMF and a broader $10.6 billion support package, which allocated billions more toward missile defense programs like Iron Dome and Iron Beam, according to Congressional Research Service reporting and Senate appropriations documents.

How it compares to other countries

Even among major U.S. allies, Israel stands apart. Data compiled by the Council on Foreign Relations shows that countries like Egypt, Afghanistan, and South Vietnam rank among the next-largest recipients historically, but Israel has received more than double the total aid of any of them.

In other words, while the U.S. provides foreign assistance globally, no country comes close to Israel in cumulative support.

Are there restrictions on how the money is used?

Technically, yes, but in practice, they are more limited than many might expect.

Experts point to three primary guardrails:

U.S. law: Under the Leahy Law, the U.S. is prohibited from providing military assistance to foreign security units credibly accused of gross human rights violations. However, the Council on Foreign Relations notes that some legal scholars and critics argue the law has not been applied to Israel in the same way it has been to other countries.Agreed use of weapons: Israel has agreed to use U.S.-supplied weapons for self-defense purposes, according to CFR. But U.S. officials have generally not imposed additional operational restrictions, meaning enforcement largely hinges on whether Israel asserts its actions fall under self-defense.Congressional oversight: The executive branch must notify Congress before major arms sales. Lawmakers can attempt to block those deals through a joint resolution.

But according to CFR, Congress has never successfully blocked a weapons sale to Israel, underscoring how limited this check has been in practice.

What Israel’s economy and social system look like

Israel is considered a high-income, advanced economy with a strong technology sector, but it also maintains a more robust baseline of social benefits than the U.S. According to the Commonwealth Fund, Israel provides universal healthcare coverage to all citizens and permanent residents under its national health insurance system.

In addition, Israeli citizens have access to free K–12 education, child allowances, unemployment benefits, and national pension programs, supported through a centralized social insurance system, according to Israeli government and academic sources.

By comparison, while the U.S. has a larger and wealthier economy overall, its benefits system is generally less universal and more fragmented, with eligibility often tied to employment, income level, or state-based programs.