40,000 Heavy Bombs for Israel: $2.8 Billion U.S. Sale Faces Congressional Objection

A proposed U.S. arms sale to Israel worth $2.8 billion has drawn a new challenge in Congress after the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said he would not approve the package at this stage, citing concerns over the potential use of 40,000 powerful 2,000-pound bombs.

The proposed package includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, according to a U.S. official familiar with the planned sale. Relevant congressional committees have been informally notified, an early step in the process before a formal arms-sale notification.

The Associated Press reported that most of the package would be financed through the U.S. Foreign Military Financing program, under which American funding is provided to Israel to purchase U.S.-made defense equipment.

U.S. Arms Sale to Israel Meets Resistance in Congress

Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he would withhold approval during the informal review process because of unresolved concerns over how the weapons could be used.

Meeks pointed specifically to densely populated areas in Gaza and Lebanon, saying the Trump administration had not provided sufficient assurances that the munitions would be used in accordance with U.S. and international law and with adequate protections for civilians.

His objection does not by itself permanently stop the sale. Senior members of congressional committees traditionally review major weapons transfers before the administration formally notifies Congress.

The administration could ultimately proceed under existing arms-sale procedures. The secretary of state can also bypass the normal congressional review period by making an emergency determination that an immediate sale is required for U.S. national security.

Package Includes 40,000 2,000-Pound Bombs

The scale of the proposed transfer has become a central part of the debate. The package includes 40,000 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds each, evenly divided between MK-84 and BLU-117 munitions.

The Biden administration previously paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs over concerns about possible mass casualties if the weapons were used in densely populated areas of Gaza. President Donald Trump’s administration lifted that hold after returning to office.

Profile News first reported details of the planned $2.8 billion munitions sale to Israel in its September 15 daily report, before Meeks publicly announced his opposition to the package.

Gaza and Lebanon at the Center of the Concerns

Reuters reported that Israel has used 2,000-pound munitions in both Gaza and Lebanon, drawing scrutiny over the potential effects of such weapons in heavily populated areas.

The debate comes as Israeli military operations continue in Gaza and intermittent strikes remain part of the security situation in southern Lebanon. Profile News has also covered Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, including attacks in and around Nabatieh.

Can Congress Stop the Sale?

The answer depends in part on how the administration chooses to move forward. The package remains under informal congressional review, a stage during which committee leaders can raise questions and seek additional information before the State Department formally notifies lawmakers.

Meeks’ decision can complicate that informal process but does not give him an individual veto over the transfer. If the administration formally submits the sale, Congress would move into the next stage of its review.

The Trump administration has previously bypassed the usual review process for an Israel arms sale by using an emergency determination. AP reported that it used that authority for a nearly $3 billion package last year and approved another series of Israel arms sales totaling $6.67 billion in January.

The proposed transfer has therefore moved beyond the size of the weapons package itself and into a broader congressional debate over civilian protections, executive authority and the limits of lawmakers’ influence over U.S. military support for Israel.

Report Sources: Profile News, Associated Press, U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Reuters.