WASHINGTON (Realist English). The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to approve a $2.8 billion military aid package for Israel. According to sources, the shipment includes 40,000 aerial bombs, including 20,000 MK-84 bombs, 20,000 BLU-117 bombs and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator penetrating warheads.
These are among the most destructive munitions in Western arsenals. The MK-84 bomb is capable of scattering shrapnel over thousands of meters, piercing concrete and leaving craters up to 15 meters deep.
Funding at the Expense of American Taxpayers
Although the deal is formalized as a “sale,” it is financed through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program: American taxpayers provide Israel with money, which it then uses to purchase American weapons.
US Ammunition Shortage
The deal was concluded amid an acute shortage of ammunition in the American military. According to Pentagon data, from February 28 to June 30, the US spent $22.3 billion on ammunition during the war with Iran. Earlier, the Pentagon officially acknowledged a “shortage of strategic reserves” and bottlenecks in the defense industry.
Historical Parallel: Biden’s Ban
In 2024, the administration of President Joe Biden suspended the supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. The reason was concerns about mass casualties among the civilian population of Gaza — in particular, the possible use of these munitions in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians were sheltering. The suspension covered 1,800 MK-84 bombs and 1,700 smaller-caliber bombs.
In May 2024, Biden in an interview with CNN directly stated that if Israel began a major ground offensive on Rafah, the US would stop supplying weapons that had “historically been used to strike populated centers.” He called the death of civilians in Gaza a “mistake.”
In July 2024, the US resumed supplies of 500-pound bombs, but 2,000-pound bombs remained banned. American officials explained that bombs of both types were part of the same batch, so they were suspended together, but Washington’s main concern was specifically about the 2,000-pound munitions.
Trump lifted this ban immediately after taking office in January 2025. In February 2025, he already approved the sale of weapons to Israel worth $7.4 billion, including MK-84. In 2025, the Trump administration, bypassing the standard congressional review procedure, approved supplies to Israel worth about $3 billion, including more than 35,500 such bombs. In January 2026, another $6.67 billion in military aid was approved.
Thus, the current $2.8 billion package not only restores the ammunition supplies suspended under Biden but also significantly surpasses them in scale.
Criticism
Senator Chris Van Hollen said he intends to oppose the deal, calling it a “gift at the expense of taxpayers.” According to a Quinnipiac poll, 48% of American voters believe the US provides Israel with excessive support.
