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The Trump administration approved a possible $151.8 million weapons sale to Israel on Friday, invoking emergency authority to bypass congressional review requirements as the United States and Israel continue military operations against Iran.
According to a statement from the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, the proposed sale includes 12,000 BLU-110A/B general-purpose 1,000-pound bomb bodies, along with engineering, logistics and technical support services.
“The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel,” the agency said, waiving the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act.
The principal contractor for the proposed sale will be Repkon USA, based in Garland, Texas. Part of the bomb bodies is expected to be transferred from existing U.S. stockpiles, the statement said.
The decision comes as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise following joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran launched Feb. 28.
The attacks have reportedly killed more than 1,000 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, more than 150 schoolgirls and several senior military officials.
The conflict has triggered widespread regional instability and retaliatory attacks from Tehran against U.S.-linked sites across the region.
A drone strike in Kuwait killed six U.S. service members at a tactical operations center.
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The approval also comes as criticism in Congress over U.S. arms transfers to Israel has intensified during Israel’s war in Gaza.
In July, a record 27 Democratic senators voted in favor of a resolution seeking to block certain weapons sales to Israel, citing concerns over civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The measure ultimately failed to pass.
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