WASHINGTON - The US State Department has approved the potential sale of bombs, explosive disposal equipment and other weapons worth nearly $3 billion to Israel, a Pentagon statement said on Friday.
The potential arms sales were notified to Congress on Friday afternoon under emergency procedure.
This process bypasses a long-standing practice of giving the chairmen and members of the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees the opportunity to review the sale and seek more information before a formal announcement is made to Congress.
The sale included 35,529 general-purpose and bunker-busting bombs made by General Dynamics. While the Pentagon said deliveries would begin in 2026, it also said "there is a possibility that a portion of this procurement will come from the United States stockpile," which could mean immediate delivery for some of the weapons.
A second package, worth $675 million, consisted of five thousand bombs and related kits to help guide the "unintelligent" bombs. Delivery for this package is estimated to take place in 2028.
A third announcement was about the supply of Caterpillar D9 bulldozers worth $295 million.
Friday's announcements marked the second time this month that President Trump's administration has declared an emergency to quickly approve arms sales to Israel. Former President Biden's administration also used emergency powers to approve arms sales to Israel without congressional review.
On Monday, President Trump's administration rescinded a Biden-era order requiring it to report potential violations of international law, including on weapons supplied by the United States to allies, including Israel. The administration has already eliminated most humanitarian aid to other countries.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas last month halted 15 months of fighting and paved the way for talks to end the war, also enabling the release of 44 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel.
However, Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, casting doubt on the second phase of the deal that aims to include the release of additional hostages and prisoners, as well as steps toward a full end to the war./ VOA (A2 Televizion)
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