The United States is preparing a weapons package for Israel containing 40,000 bombs under a proposed deal valued at $2.8 billion, according to Euronews, which cited two US officials and another person familiar with the plan. The package includes Mk84 and BLU-117 aircraft bombs weighing 2,000 pounds, or about 900 kilograms, each.
The weapons previously generated concern within the Biden administration because of the risk of large civilian casualties in densely populated areas of Gaza. Euronews reported that delivery of the same class of bombs was halted two years ago, before President Donald Trump lifted the restriction after returning to office.
Congress has been informally notified of the pending agreement, according to the report. Most of the purchase would be financed through foreign military financing, under which US taxpayer funds are provided to Israel and used to buy weapons from US suppliers.
The proposed sale comes amid the continuing effects of the war in Gaza, where, according to the supplied source, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and the enclave has suffered extensive destruction. The United States brokered a fragile ceasefire, but violence has continued, Euronews reported.
The package follows other Trump administration measures intended to strengthen Israel’s military capabilities. Euronews said the administration last year bypassed the usual congressional review process to approve an arms sale worth nearly $3 billion, including more than 35,500 bombs, and later approved additional sales totalling $6.67 billion in January.
The planned deal was previously reported by The Washington Post, according to Euronews. The report said it indicates that, despite reported strains between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, military ties between Washington and Jerusalem remain strong. It also comes as Israel faces increasing international isolation over its war in Gaza following the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.