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The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to sell Israel 60,000 highly destructive bombs, each weighing 2,000 pounds (about 907 kg), under a multibillion-dollar arms deal. Much of the cost is expected to be covered with US taxpayer funds.
According to US media reports, the Trump administration has already approved the sale of some of the most powerful bombs in its arsenal to Israel and has informally notified Congress of the decision.
The United States has never before supplied Israel with such a large quantity of bombs in a single deal. The proposed arms package comes amid nearly three years of war in Gaza, continued violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon. Thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced across the region as a result of the conflicts.
The planned supply also comes as the United States is reportedly facing pressure on its own weapons stockpiles due to the war with Iran, while arms deliveries to Ukraine in its war against Russia have further strained supplies.
This raises questions about what types of bombs Washington is planning to provide to Israel and what they are designed to do.
What weapons are being planned?
The Trump administration has not officially confirmed the proposed arms sale. A senior administration official told AFP that US arms sales to foreign countries follow a specific process but declined to comment on any deal still under consideration.
A US State Department spokesperson also told AFP that, under department policy, the State Department does not confirm or comment on proposed arms sales before formally notifying Congress.
However, according to multiple reports, Washington is in the final stages of arranging a deal to supply Israel with 60,000 heavy bombs.
The proposed package is reportedly expected to include:
20,000 MK-84 bombs, 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, 20,000 I-2000 penetrator bombs, designed to destroy hardened or underground structures
The deal is estimated to be worth around $2.8 billion. Most of the cost would reportedly be covered through the US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, under which Washington provides funding to Israel to purchase US-made weapons and military equipment.
Here is a brief look at the three types of bombs reportedly included in the proposed package.
MK-84: The MK-84 is the largest and most powerful bomb in the Mark 80 series. Weighing about 2,000 pounds (907 kg), it is designed to produce a large blast against buildings and moderately hardened targets. The bomb can cause extensive destruction hundreds of metres from the point of impact. However, in its basic unguided form, it does not always strike targets with precision.
BLU-117: The BLU-117 is also a roughly 2,000-pound bomb. It has a similar external appearance to the MK-84 but contains a different explosive configuration. The bomb can be integrated with guidance technology to improve targeting accuracy. It also has a heat-resistant coating designed to make it suitable for storage aboard US Navy ships.
I-2000 Penetrator: The I-2000 is commonly described as a bunker-buster. The approximately 2,000-pound weapon is designed to penetrate underground or heavily reinforced concrete structures before detonating.
Because of this role, its outer casing is considerably thicker and stronger than that of the MK-84, allowing it to withstand the impact involved in penetrating hardened structures.
Previous US restrictions on heavy bombs
In 2024, the administration of then-President Joe Biden temporarily suspended the delivery of some 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. The move came amid strong criticism from international human rights organisations over civilian deaths in Israeli military operations.
After returning to the White House, Trump lifted the suspension. His administration also approved an arms sale to Israel worth nearly $3 billion without the usual congressional review process. That package included more than 35,500 powerful bombs.
In January this year, Washington approved another $6.67 billion arms sale to Israel, according to reports. Source: Al Jazeera.
