The administration of US President Donald Trump has invoked emergency powers to bypass Congress and accelerate the sale of more than 20,000 bombs to Israel in a deal valued at about $650 million, according to officials familiar with the decision.
The US Department of State explained in a statement Friday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that an emergency situation justified immediate approval of the sale, allowing the administration to skip the usual congressional review process for foreign arms transfers.
The package includes about 12,000 BLU-110A/B multipurpose bombs, each weighing roughly 454 kilograms, which Israel had previously requested to strengthen its air force capabilities.
The announcement comes one week after the US and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran, described as the largest US military campaign since the 2003 Iraq War.
The State Department said the proposed sale would support US foreign policy and national security interests. The Texas-based company Repkon is expected to serve as the main contractor.
A US official added that the agreement also includes BLU-111 bombs as part of a modification to a previous arms deal. Israel is also expected to purchase additional munitions worth about $298 million through direct commercial agreements with American defense firms.
According to CNN, the emergency declaration was intended to speed up the delivery of munitions to Israel while military operations against Iran continue.
The decision coincides with escalating rhetoric from Washington. Trump suggested that Iran could face further military strikes, saying the country might receive what he described as a “very strong blow” as the US considers targeting additional sites inside Iran.
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