On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks, who serves as the leading Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that he would not endorse the proposed sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel due to worries that these weapons might not be deployed in alignment with international law.
According to a U.S. official knowledgeable about the transaction, the administration of President Donald Trump intends to offer Israel a munitions package valued at $2.8 billion that will feature tens of thousands of powerful 2,000-pound bombs.
Although congressional committee leaders evaluate these sales through an informal procedure, Meeks’ dissent alone is insufficient to stop the president from proceeding with the sale.
Trump has previously circumvented Congressional scrutiny to accelerate military sales to Israel, demonstrating his strong relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration even before the two nations initiated military action against Iran on February 28.
The anticipated sale, which has been communicated informally to congressional committees that assess large arms transactions, is said to include 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, as per the anonymous official.
In this U.S. Air Force handout image, a person works on a MK-84 while aboard an aircraft carrier in April 2004. (Jason R. Zalasky/USAF/Getty Images)
The announcement regarding the munitions package was initially disclosed by The Washington Post.
Requests for comments from the State Department and the Israeli Embassy went unanswered.
In his statement, Meeks expressed his dedication to ensuring Israel’s security.
“However, the Trump administration’s plan to sell 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, some of the most destructive weapons in our arsenal, raises serious, unresolved questions about the potential use of these munitions in the densely populated regions of Gaza and Lebanon,” he remarked.
Public support for Israel among U.S. citizens has decreased since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in 2023, particularly within the Democratic Party. A Quinnipiac University survey conducted in June revealed that 48 percent of voters and 66 percent of Democrats feel that the United States is too supportive of Israel, a rise from 16 percent and 20 percent respectively when the question was first posed in 2017.
The 2,000-pound bombs have frequently been utilized by Israel in both Gaza and Lebanon, attracting criticism from human rights advocates.
According to health authorities in Gaza, over 73,000 Palestinians have lost their lives during Israel’s military operations. A United Nations investigation concluded that Israel had perpetrated genocide in Gaza, a claim firmly denied by Israel.
On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. In retaliation, Iran conducted strikes against Israel and Gulf nations hosting U.S. military bases. The U.S.-Israeli military actions targeting Iran and Israeli assaults in Lebanon have resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced.