US Approves $151.8M Bomb Sale to Israel Without Congress

The U.S. State Department has approved a $151.8 million weapons sale to Israel, allowing the transfer of munitions and related support without undergoing the usual congressional review process.

According to the department, Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, determined that an emergency situation existed which required the immediate approval of the arms sale. The department stated that the decision was taken in the national security interests of the United States.

The announcement came one week after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, escalating tensions in the region.

Under the agreement, Israel requested 12,000 BLU-110A/B general-purpose bomb bodies, each weighing 1,000 pounds. The main contractor for the deal will be Repkon USA, a defense company based in Texas.

The decision to bypass congressional review has faced criticism from lawmakers. Gregory Meeks, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, said the use of emergency authority raises concerns about the administration’s planning for the conflict with Iran.

Meeks said that while the administration claimed it was fully prepared for the war, the urgent move to avoid congressional oversight suggests otherwise. He described the situation as an emergency created by the administration itself.

The current escalation began when the United States and Israel launched an air assault on Iran on February 28. In response, Iran carried out retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and regional locations hosting U.S. military bases.

According to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, the attacks over the past week have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians, with thousands more injured. Several senior Iranian leaders, including Ali Khamenei, were also reported killed during the strikes.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military confirmed that six American service members were killed in a strike on a facility in Kuwait. Israeli authorities also reported that at least 10 civilians have been killed across Israel since the conflict intensified.

The United States has continued to provide strong military and political support to Israel under both Donald Trump and former president Joe Biden during the ongoing conflicts involving Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

Previous administrations have also used emergency authority to approve arms sales to Israel without waiting for congressional review.

However, U.S. military support for Israel has faced growing international scrutiny, particularly during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has caused large-scale destruction, displacement of civilians, and a severe humanitarian crisis.

Israel has repeatedly stated that its military operations are carried out in self-defence, following the October 2023 attack by Hamas, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 hostages were taken.