Palestinians inspect a family home destroyed by the Israel army following a military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank village of Aqraba, south of the city of Nablus on Sept. 8, 2026. (Credit: by Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)
The U.S. federal government is on track to approve a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel, U.S. media reported Tuesday, with the sale of 40,000 one-ton bombs among the largest munitions packages sold in recent years. The New York Times said the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had approved the sale, citing a U.S. official.
The Washington Post said the package — funded with U.S. taxpayer dollars — featured some of the most destructive munitions in the U.S. arsenal, including 20,000 MK-84s, 20,000 BLU-117s, and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads. According to a military website, MK-84 bombs can scatter lethal shrapnel up to 370 meters from the point of impact.
Reuters reports that Israel has already used this type of munition in Lebanon and Gaza. Notably, during the previous war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024, Israeli media had specifically referred to MK-84s fitted with GBU-31 JDAM guidance systems.
A senior administration official told AFP that "all foreign arms sales are moving through the appropriate process," but wouldn't comment on pending transactions.
Meanwhile, a State Department spokesperson told AFP that "as a matter of policy, the Department does not confirm or comment on proposed arms sales until they have been formally notified to Congress."
The deal was reported amid an ongoing munitions shortage within the U.S. military, with stocks rapidly depleting from the war with Iran and with the U.S. spending $22.3 billion on munitions between Feb. 28 and June 30.
In February 2025, the Trump administration had approved the sale of more than $7.4 billion in bombs, missiles and related equipment to Israel, including MK-84 munitions.
Following pressure over concerns of Israel's mass killing of civilians in Gaza, former U.S. president Joe Biden's administration had blocked a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, but the Trump Administration approved them after taking office in early 2025.
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