<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Trump administration is moving forward with a $2.8 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel on September 15, 2026, marking one of the largest U.S. weapons transactions with Jerusalem that was previously halted by the Biden administration.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The package includes 40,000 bombs, consisting of 20,000 MK-84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, according to the Associated Press. The sale will be financed through foreign military financing, which utilizes U.S. taxpayer money for grants that Israel can use to purchase American-made military equipment.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Additionally, the package includes 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads, designed for striking hardened structures. The deal has been informally presented to congressional committees responsible for reviewing foreign arms sales.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 2,000-pound bombs are among the most powerful conventional munitions in the U.S. arsenal, capable of causing extensive damage over a wide radius. The MK-84, known as the “Hammer,” can penetrate concrete and metal, producing a crater 50 feet wide and 36 feet deep.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The weapons were central to a dispute between Israel and the Biden administration during the war in Gaza. Former President Joe Biden paused a shipment of these bombs in 2024 due to concerns about their potential use in civilian areas.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">President Donald Trump reversed that policy shortly after returning to the White House in January 2025, releasing the previously withheld bombs to Israel. The administration has since continued to approve major weapons packages for Israel.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The State Department informed two congressional committees of the sale for informal approval, according to the New York Times.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This deal adds billions of dollars in weapons sales authorized for Israel since Trump returned to office, including a roughly $3 billion package in 2025 and another $5.67 billion package approved in January.</p>