The Trump administration is planning to send 2,000-pound bombs to Israel as part of a future arms deal. These bombs have raised serious concerns about the likelihood of mass casualties in Gaza, as the Biden administration halted their shipment two years ago.
Details of the Arms Package
This $2.8 billion package includes 40,000 bombs, divided into two types: Mk84 and BLU-117. Two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the program, who requested anonymity, spoke about this package on Tuesday. This deal has not yet been finalized.
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Congress has been informally briefed on this deal, with most of the funding coming through foreign military financing, where U.S. taxpayer dollars are given to Israel to purchase weapons from the United States.
Consequences of the Gaza War
This new sale aligns with actions the Trump administration is taking to bolster Israel's military capabilities. The conflict in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated the region. The U.S. has brokered a fragile ceasefire between the parties, but violence continues.
This package, previously reported by one media outlet, comes at a time when Israel is facing increasing international isolation due to its war in Gaza. This war was initiated following the deadly attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
This deal indicates that some tensions in the relationship between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, particularly since the onset of the war against Iran in February, have not hindered the closeness of U.S.-Israel ties. Trump has had a variable history with Netanyahu over the years, and some grievances regarding tensions with Iran were expressed before their last meeting in July at the White House.
In 2024, the Biden administration halted one shipment of these bombs, but Trump lifted this suspension upon returning to office. Last year, the Trump administration bypassed the normal congressional review process and approved a sale of nearly $3 billion to Israel, which included over 35,500 bombs. The administration then approved a new series of arms sales to Israel worth $6.67 billion in January.
The 2,000-pound bombs come in several types, some designed to penetrate deep and underground targets, while others explode above ground, causing widespread damage. Although the Israeli military has provided little detail about the use of bombs and artillery in Gaza, experts analyzing attack images and explosion remnants believe that U.S.-made bombs have been used there, targeting objectives including Hamas's tunnel networks and also taking lives in populated areas.
While the most intense fighting in Gaza has decreased since a fragile ceasefire was established in October, Israel continues to carry out attacks in the region, even recently taking actions that have resulted in several deaths. This comes as Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and key Middle East negotiator, met with Netanyahu last month to try to advance a ceasefire agreement and urged Israel to reduce its attacks.
Militants have carried out attacks against Israeli forces, and Israel has stated that its attacks are in response to these assaults and other ceasefire violations. The Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and 251 hostages. Israel's retaliation in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 73,264 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
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Source: abcnews.com
