President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to sell to Israel a munitions package worth $2.8bn, which will include tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs, according to a US official familiar with the sale.
The planned sale, which has been informally communicated to relevant congressional committees who weigh in on large arms sales, includes 20,000 MK 84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.
News of the package was first reported by the Washington Post.
US public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats. A June Quinnipiac University poll found 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats believe the US is too supportive of Israel, up from 16% and 20% when the question was first asked in 2017.
The 2,000-pound bombs have been regularly used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, drawing scrutiny from rights experts. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s campaign.