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Trump admin plans to send powerful bombs to Israel in $2.8B sale
NBC4 Washington • • world
Key Points:
- The Trump administration plans to deliver 40,000 powerful 2,000-pound bombs to Israel as part of a $2.8 billion arms deal, reversing a Biden administration pause on such shipments due to concerns about mass casualties in Gaza.
- The package includes 20,000 Mk84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, with most of the purchase funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars through foreign military financing.
- This arms sale continues a trend of the Trump administration enhancing Israel’s military capabilities, despite ongoing violence and international criticism over Israel’s war in Gaza following the deadly Hamas attacks in October 2023.
- The deal underscores the enduring U.S.-Israeli alliance under Trump, even amid tensions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and follows previous large arms sales approved without normal congressional review.
- The 2,000-pound bombs have been reportedly used in Gaza, targeting Hamas tunnels but also causing civilian casualties, while fighting and Israeli strikes have persisted despite a fragile ceasefire brokered by the U.S.
