Key facts
- The Trump administration plans to sell Israel a $2.8 billion munitions package.
- The package includes 20,000 MK 84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs.
- The 2,000-pound bombs have been used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon.
- U.S. public support for Israel has declined, particularly among Democrats.
- A U.N. inquiry determined Israel committed genocide in Gaza.
- The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
The Trump administration is planning to sell Israel a $2.8 billion munitions package, including tens of thousands of highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs, according to a U.S. official familiar with the sale. The planned sale, which has been informally communicated to relevant congressional committees, includes 20,000 MK 84s and 20,000 BLU-117s. The State Department and the Israeli embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats. A June Quinnipiac University poll found 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats believe the United States is too supportive of Israel, up from 16% and 20% in 2017. The 2,000-pound bombs have been regularly used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, drawing scrutiny from rights experts. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military campaign, according to Gaza health authorities. A U.N. inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel rejects.
Israel calls its actions self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in an October 2023 attack. The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.