Israel set to receive 40,000 heavy bombs in U.S. munitions package worth $2.8 billion
The proposed package, informally communicated to congressional committees, includes 20,000 MK 84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, according to a U.S. official cited by Reuters.
The Trump administration is preparing a $2.8 billion munitions package for Israel that would include 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, according to Reuters, in a proposed sale that comes as Israel is seeking to replenish and expand its weapons stocks after an extended period of regional conflict.
The package, which has been informally communicated to congressional committees that review major U.S. arms sales, would include 20,000 MK 84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, according to a U.S. official familiar with the proposed sale who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The Washington Post first reported the planned package.
The proposal has not yet been finalized as a completed arms sale. The State Department and the Israeli Embassy did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The scale of the package is notable. Rather than focusing on a small number of advanced weapons systems, the proposed deal would provide Israel with tens of thousands of large conventional bombs, reflecting the continuing importance of conventional munitions alongside the more sophisticated missile and air-defense systems that have become central to Israel’s military procurement.
The proposed sale also comes against the backdrop of a broader effort by Israel to expand defense procurement following years of fighting. CTech reported last month that Israel was preparing a major procurement push for Apache helicopters, CH-53K transport helicopters and missiles, while defense companies were warning that some production lines could face interruptions without new orders. The government was planning an additional roughly NIS 40 billion ($13.3 billion) for defense spending.
In the United States, the proposed package comes at a politically more complicated moment than earlier phases of U.S. military support for Israel.
Public support for Israel in the United States has declined since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats. A June Quinnipiac University poll cited by Reuters found that 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats believed the United States was too supportive of Israel, compared with 16% and 20%, respectively, when the question was first asked in 2017.
