US to sell $7.4 billion in weapons to Israel
Photo: Deliveries are planned for years to come (Getty Images)
The Trump administration has approved the sale of more than $7.4 billion in weapons to Israel, including missiles, bombs, and more, reports Bloomberg.
On Friday, February 7, the State Department notified the US Congress of its approval to sell 3,000 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles and related equipment to Israel for $660 million. The sale also includes bombs, guidance systems, and detonators, with a total value of $6.75 billion.
"The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability," the State Department said in a statement.
The sale includes more than 2,100 250-pound GBU-39/B bombs and 2,800 MK-82 500-pound bomb bodies. Deliveries of the bombs and related guidance systems are expected to begin next year, while Hellfire missiles, produced by Lockheed Martin Corp., are set for delivery in 2028.
The proposed bomb sales will come from US stockpiles as well as contractors, including Boeing Co., ATK Tactical Systems Co., and a division of L3Harris Technologies Inc.
Bloomberg reported that last month, the Trump administration sent Israel a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. These weapons had previously been withheld by former US President Joe Biden due to concerns over Israel’s military offensive against Hamas in Gaza.
At the end of January, the new US administration lifted restrictions on supplying Israel with heavy aerial bombs, reversing Biden’s ban. That ban, imposed in May last year, triggered one of the biggest crises in US-Israel relations during the Gaza war.
Netanyahu’s visit to the US
On February 4, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an official visit to Washington, marking the first visit of a foreign leader to President Trump after his re-election. During the trip, Netanyahu held talks with Trump.
Following the meeting, Trump stated that Palestinians would be temporarily relocated from the war-torn Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan. The Hamas group and the Palestinian Authority rejected this proposal.
