US makes sure Israel doesn't run out of ammunition - hires ships for extra deliveries before inauguration

Haaretz reports today, based on a Reuters story - Pentagon denies arms shipment to Israel linked with Gaza fighting

The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) has hired a merchant ship to deliver ammunition to Israel this month. ender documents show the ship was to carry 325 standard 20-foot containers of what is listed as "ammunition" on two separate journeys from the Greek port of Astakos to the Israeli port of Ashdod in mid-to-late January.

The ammunition was intended for a U.S. stockpile as a pre - positioned stockpiles according to a Pentagon spokesman who confirmed the shipment.

A "hazardous material" designation on the manifest mentions explosive substances and detonators but provides no other details.

The request for the ship was made on Dec. 31, with the first leg of the charter to arrive no later than Jan. 25 and the second at the end of the month.

A commercial ship was hired in December from a German company to carry a much larger consignment of ordnance.

Meanwhile Iranian Press TV / Al Alam building in Gaza has been attacked without warning.