JERUSALEM

The Israeli army has raised the command level required to authorize the use of heavy weapons, according to local media on Sunday.

Under the new order, the use of heavy weapons such as shells must be approved by a brigadier commander, Haaretz reported.

The move came after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant postponed his visit to Washington, where he was scheduled to discuss Israel’s arms needs with US officials.

It also came amid an ammunition shortage in the Israeli army against the backdrop of bans imposed by some Western countries on weapons exports to Tel Aviv over its ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army is now employing a "strict economy in armament," Haaretz said, citing unnamed sources.

"In some cases, the authorization for the use of these heavy weapons and ammunition was raised to a brigade commander,” it added.

The directive, however, does not apply to air defense systems or forces coming under fire, the newspaper said.

The UK, Germany, and Canada have recently announced restrictions on arms exports to Israel.

Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 42,200 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack last year.

The conflict spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, which have killed more than 1,437 people and injured over 4,123 others since Sept. 23.

Despite international warnings that the Middle East region was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching on Oct. 1 a ground incursion into southern Lebanon.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara