US President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to sell Israel a $2.8 billion munitions package that includes tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs, a US official familiar with the proposed sale said.
The planned package, which has been informally communicated to relevant congressional committees that review major arms sales, includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Washington Post first reported news of the proposed sale.
The US State Department and the Israeli Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
US public support for Israel has declined since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats.
A June Quinnipiac University poll found that 48 percent of voters and 66 percent of Democrats believed the US was too supportive of Israel, compared with 16 percent and 20 percent, respectively, when the question was first asked in 2017.
Israel has regularly used 2,000-pound bombs in Gaza as well as Lebanon, drawing scrutiny from rights experts.
More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign, according to Gaza health authorities. A UN inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, an accusation Israel rejects.
Israel says its actions are in self-defense following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack, in which militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US military bases.
US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands of people and displaced millions.