Donald Trump sells bombs to Israel amidst escalating conflict with Iran
President Donald Trump shook hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club on December 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida.
Credit: JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
The U.S. State Department approved the sale of 12,000 470kg bombs to Israel on Friday, March 6, as both countries are engaged in an escalating conflict in the Middle East against Iran.
The sale, valued at €151.8 million, was approved by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs of the State Department. The goal is to enhance “Israel’s capability to address current and future threats, strengthen its national defense, and serve as a deterrent against regional threats,” the State Department stated in a press release.
While U.S. arms sales generally require Congressional approval, Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked an exemption bypassing this approval, much to the dismay of some lawmakers. “The Secretary of State has determined and provided a detailed justification that there is an emergency that requires the immediate sale to the Israeli government of the aforementioned defense articles and services in the interest of U.S. national security,” the State Department declared, citing the Arms Export Control Act.
The sale will also include engineering, logistical, and technical support services provided by the U.S. government and contracted vendors. Donald Trump announced on Friday that major American defense companies had agreed to quadruple their production of sophisticated weapons.
