The Trump administration has authorized a significant arms sale to Israel, bypassing the usual Congressional review process. The U.S. State Department informed Congress on Friday that it had approved the sale of over 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs, along with 4,000 Predator warheads, in a deal valued at $2.04 billion. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited an emergency national security situation as justification, enabling the sale to proceed without Congressional oversight.
Deliveries of these munitions are expected to begin next year, as Israel bolsters its defense capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions. In addition to this large sale, a separate $675.7 million arms deal has been approved, which includes additional munitions for Israel, with deliveries slated to start in 2028. The U.S. also authorized the emergency sale of Caterpillar bulldozers worth $295 million.
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The Trump administration’s move follows a recent $8 billion arms sale notification by the Biden administration, which includes munitions for fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery shells. This package is designed to support Israel’s long-term security and may be one of the final significant arms deals with Israel under Biden’s presidency.
Key components of the Biden-approved deal include AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, 155mm artillery shells, and Hellfire AGM-114 missiles, among other advanced weaponry. While some munitions are available from existing U.S. stocks, others will require new production, with deliveries expected to span several years. Congress must still approve this sale through the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees.
The accelerated arms sales come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters claiming that President Biden had previously imposed a “silent arms embargo” on Israel.
