Trump plans $2.8 billion bomb package for Israel, including 40,000 heavy munitions

The Trump administration is preparing a USD 2.8 billion bomb package for Israel. The move revives a category of weapons earlier paused over Gaza civilian casualty concerns.

The Trump administration is preparing a new $2.8 billion arms package for Israel that would include 40,000 heavy aerial bombs, according to US officials familiar with the proposal, in the latest move to bolster Israel's military capabilities amid the continuing war in Gaza.

The proposed package includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, each weighing around 2,000 pounds (900 kg). The deal has not yet been finalised, but lawmakers have been informally notified, two US officials and another person familiar with the matter said.

Most of the purchase would be financed through the US Foreign Military Financing programme, under which Washington provides funding that allies can use to buy American-made military equipment.

The proposal marks another significant arms transfer to Israel under President Donald Trump and comes as Israel faces mounting international criticism over the humanitarian toll of its military campaign in Gaza.

The bombs included in the package are the same class of weapons whose delivery was partially halted by the Biden administration in 2024 over concerns that their use in densely populated areas could result in large civilian casualties. Trump lifted that restriction after returning to office.

The administration has already approved several major weapons transfers to Israel. Last year, it bypassed the traditional congressional review process to clear a nearly $3 billion sale that included more than 35,500 bombs. It subsequently authorised another arms package worth $6.67 billion.

The MK-84 and BLU-117 are among the most powerful conventional bombs in the US arsenal. Depending on the variant, they can be used either against fortified underground targets or for above-ground strikes capable of causing extensive damage over a wide area.

Israel has released limited information about the specific munitions used in Gaza. However, independent weapons experts analysing blast sites, strike footage and recovered fragments have previously identified US-made bombs in several attacks. Israeli authorities have said such strikes targeted Hamas infrastructure, including underground tunnel networks.

The proposed arms package comes as the Gaza conflict continues despite intermittent ceasefire efforts led by the United States and regional mediators.

The war began after Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.

Gaza's Health Ministry says more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's military campaign, including casualties reported after ceasefire periods, with the conduct of the war and continued Western arms supplies remaining under intense international scrutiny.