US approves $7.4 billion arms package for Israel

The Trump administration has approved $7.4 billion in arms sales to Israel after a US Middle East adviser equivocated about supplying super-bombs to its ally.

The US State Department has approved two military contracts for Israel. According to AP, the first contract is worth $6.75 billion, including 166 small diameter bombs, 2,800 500-pound bombs, thousands of guidance kits, detonators and other parts and equipment. The contract will be delivered this year.

US soldiers secure 500-pound bombs

The second contract, worth about $660 million, includes 3,000 Hellfire missiles and related equipment. Deliveries will begin in 2028 and the U.S. military will provide training on their use.

The deal was announced to Congress just two days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House. It comes amid a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel to release hostages and President Trump's shock idea of ​​taking over the Gaza Strip and moving Palestinians there to other countries in the region.

Trump's 'shocking' proposal on Gaza: Condemned everywhere, subordinates worried about explaining

In late January, shortly after taking office, Mr. Trump lifted a moratorium on the delivery of 2,000-pound (about 900 kg) bombs to Israel. The Biden administration had delayed the delivery of the bombs because of concerns about civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip. Mr. Trump said the decision to provide them was because Israel had already purchased the weapons.

Regarding the supply of weapons to Israel, US Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff on February 5 spoke vaguely about the supply of 30,000-pound bombs, a heavy bunker-buster bomb described as the "mother of all bombs." "Israel already has bunker-buster bombs," Mr. Witkoff told Fox News.

GBU-43/B, "mother of all bombs"

According to The Jerusalem Post , Israel has been lobbying the US to provide this bomb since the 2000s, but until now, through many Republican and Democratic presidents, the US has not agreed to transfer the "mother of all bombs" to Israel. This is the largest non-nuclear bomb of the US and is believed to be able to destroy Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility.

Mr Witkoff's remarks were said to be referring to the 2,000-pound bombs the US has delivered. These and smaller bombs can destroy some underground facilities and have been used by Israel to destroy Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip, but are thought to have difficulty affecting facilities tens of metres deep, particularly at Fordow in Iran.

To date, there have been no statements from other US officials about transferring the "mother of all bombs" to Israel.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-phe-duyet-goi-vu-khi-74-ti-usd-cho-israel-185250208105235012.htm