The Trump administration has approved a proposed $2.8 billion sale of heavy bombs and penetrator warheads to Israel, in one of the largest US munitions deliveries despite declining public support for the country.
The package would include 40,000 one-ton bombs, many of which could be used in densely populated areas. Their deployment by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon has prompted international condemnation over the civilian casualties caused by their wide blast radius.
The State Department has sent the proposed deal to two congressional committees for informal approval, according to a US official. Production and delivery would normally take months or years, although the process can be accelerated.
Israel bomb sale includes bunker-busting warheads
The planned shipment comprises 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, each weighing 2,000lb. It would also include 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads, designed to explode after breaking through soil, rock or concrete.
A 2,000lb bomb can be lethal at a distance of more than 1,000ft and leave a crater as deep as 50ft. Israel faced fierce criticism after dropping hundreds of the weapons on Gaza.
Israel says Hamas fighters in Gaza and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon deliberately operate among civilians, including from bunkers and tunnels that require heavy munitions to penetrate. Former US officials and military analysts have questioned whether less destructive alternatives have been rejected too readily.
The proposed sale follows a decision by President Trump shortly after taking office last January to allow the delivery of 2,000lb bombs that the Biden administration had paused in mid-2024 over concerns about their use in crowded civilian areas.
In February, the Trump administration also agreed to sell Israel about $2.7 billion in munitions, including 35,000 of the same types of one-ton bombs.
Congress could try to block the deal
Congressional leaders can object to the latest package, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio could use emergency powers to proceed without informal approval. The administration could then formally announce the sale.
To block it, both the House of Representatives and Senate would have to pass a resolution. A two-thirds majority in each chamber would be needed to overcome a presidential veto.
The Biden administration used emergency powers twice during the Israel-Gaza war to speed up arms shipments to Israel, including packages containing tank ammunition and artillery munitions.
The proposed sale underlines Mr Trump’s continued support for Israel, despite recent disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over military operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Mr Netanyahu is expected to travel to New York next week for the annual United Nations General Assembly.
The deal is likely to face strong opposition from Democrats in Congress, some of whom have called for an end to all US aid to Israel because of the civilian toll of its military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Opposition has also emerged among some of Mr Trump’s traditional supporters. Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, has condemned what he called the “slaughter” of Palestinians in Gaza and said the additional destructive power could embolden Israel and prolong the conflict with Iran.
“If you wanted to extend the Iran war into the indefinite future, this is exactly what you’d do,” Mr Carlson wrote.
