Trump Admin to Deliver 40,000 2,000-Pound Bombs in $2.8 Billion Sale to Israel/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ The Trump administration is planning a $2.8 billion arms package that would send 40,000 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. Congress has received informal notice of the proposal, but the deal was not final at the time of publication. The planned sale is renewing scrutiny of civilian risks in Gaza and the use of U.S. military financing.
Quick Look
- The proposed package includes 20,000 Mk84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs.
- Most of the $2.8 billion cost would be covered through U.S. foreign military financing.
- The Biden administration paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs in 2024 over concerns about civilian casualties.
- President Donald Trump lifted that hold after returning to office.
- The proposal comes amid continuing violence despite a fragile Gaza ceasefire.
- Gaza health officials say Israel’s offensive has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians.
Deep Look
Proposed deal includes 40,000 heavy bombs
The Trump administration is planning to deliver 40,000 2,000-pound bombs to Israel through a proposed weapons package worth $2.8 billion.
The package would include 20,000 Mk84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, according to two U.S. officials and another person familiar with the plan. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposal had not been finalized.
Congress has received informal notification of the pending transaction, according to The Associated Press.
US financing would cover most of the cost
Most of the weapons would be paid for through foreign military financing. Under that program, the United States provides taxpayer money to Israel, which then uses the funds to purchase equipment from American defense companies.
The package, first reported by The Washington Post, is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to expand Israel’s military capacity.
The proposal comes after years of war that have devastated Gaza and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Although the United States helped broker a ceasefire, Israeli strikes and attacks on Israeli troops have continued.
Biden pause and Trump reversal
The Biden administration suspended one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs in 2024 because of concerns that their use in densely populated parts of Gaza could produce mass casualties.
Trump lifted that suspension after returning to the White House.
Last year, his administration bypassed the standard congressional review process to approve a separate sale to Israel worth nearly $3 billion. That package included more than 35,500 heavy bombs.
The administration approved another series of weapons sales to Israel totaling $6.67 billion in January.
What the bombs can do
Different versions of the 2,000-pound bombs are designed for different purposes. Some can penetrate fortified or underground targets, while others detonate above ground and can cause extensive damage over a wide area.
Israel’s military has released limited information about the bombs and artillery it has used in Gaza. However, experts examining strike footage and fragments recovered from attack sites believe American-made heavy bombs have been deployed there.
The weapons have reportedly been used against Hamas’ tunnel network, but strikes involving them have also killed people in densely populated areas.
Deal underscores alliance despite strains
The planned sale comes as Israel faces growing international isolation over its military campaign in Gaza, which followed the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
It also indicates that periodic tensions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have not fundamentally disrupted the U.S.-Israeli alliance.
Trump has had an uneven relationship with Netanyahu and expressed frustration with the Israeli leader over aspects of the Iran conflict. The two leaders most recently met at the White House in July.
Gaza ceasefire remains fragile
The heaviest fighting in Gaza has declined since a fragile ceasefire took effect in October. Israel has nevertheless continued conducting strikes in the territory, including attacks that killed several people shortly before the proposed weapons package was disclosed.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a Middle East negotiator, met Netanyahu last month as part of an effort to advance the ceasefire agreement. Kushner also asked Israel to reduce its attacks.
Palestinian militants have carried out shooting attacks against Israeli troops. Israel maintains that its subsequent strikes have been responses to those incidents and other ceasefire violations.
War toll continues to rise
The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in 2023 killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive in response. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 73,264 Palestinians have been killed, including people who died after the ceasefire began.
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