US Plans $2.8bn Sale of 60,000 Heavy Bombs to Israel
The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel that would include 60,000 bombs and warheads weighing about 2,000 pounds (907kg) each, according to US media reports.
The package is expected to include 20,000 MK-84 bombs, 20,000 BLU-117 bombs and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads. The weapons are among the largest conventional munitions in the US arsenal.
The MK-84 and BLU-117 are general-purpose bombs designed to cause extensive blast and fragmentation damage. They can also be equipped with precision-guidance systems. The I-2000 is designed as a hard-target penetrator capable of striking fortified or underground structures.
The proposed sale would be financed largely through the US Foreign Military Financing programme, meaning American government funds would support Israel's purchase of US-made weapons.
The planned transfer comes amid continued international scrutiny of Israel's use of heavy bombs in Gaza and Lebanon. In 2024, the Biden administration temporarily paused the delivery of some 2,000-pound bombs to Israel amid concerns about civilian casualties. The Trump administration later ended that pause.
Israel has used 2,000-pound-class bombs extensively in previous military operations. During the Gaza war, one such bomb was used in an October 2023 attack on Jabalia refugee camp that killed dozens of people. The UN human rights office said the strike raised concerns that it could amount to a war crime.
The weapons package also comes as the United States faces pressure on its own munitions stocks following its war with Iran and the continuing demands of the war in Ukraine.
US officials have not formally confirmed the proposed sale, saying foreign military sales must go through the required process before being publicly announced.
