Trump Administration Prepares $2.8 Billion Bomb Sale to Israel

The Trump administration is preparing a $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel that would include 40,000 heavy 2,000-pound bombs, according to U.S. officials. The proposed package, which has been informally communicated to congressional committees, represents one of the largest single sales of such munitions in recent years. The deal includes 20,000 MK84 general-purpose bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, both weighing 2,000 pounds, along with 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads designed to destroy hardened underground targets. The sale is largely financed through Foreign Military Financing, a program where U.S. taxpayer funds are provided to Israel to purchase American-made weapons. Congressional committees that review major arms transfers have been informally notified of the pending deal, but it has not yet received formal approval. The State Department and the Israeli embassy did not immediately comment on the proposal. A senior administration official stated that all foreign arms sales follow appropriate procedures and declined to comment on pending sales. The proposed transfer has drawn criticism from some Democratic lawmakers.