Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Mar 7: The United States Department of State has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to Israel involving munitions and support services, including 12,000 aerial bombs, in a deal valued at about $151.8 million.
According to the department, Israel has requested the purchase of 12,000 BLU-110A/B 1,000-pound general-purpose bomb bodies as part of the package.
In its statement, the State Department said Marco Rubio determined that an emergency situation justified the immediate approval of the sale. This decision allows the administration to bypass the usual congressional review requirements under the Arms Export Control Act.
Officials said the move is intended to strengthen Israel’s defense capabilities. The department noted that the proposed sale would help Israel address both current and future security threats, reinforce its homeland defence, and serve as a deterrent against regional adversaries.
Along with the munitions, the package includes engineering assistance, logistics support, and technical services provided by the US government and defense contractors, as well as other program support elements.
The approval comes amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
The conflict intensified after large-scale strikes launched on February 28 reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military commanders and hundreds of civilians. Iran subsequently responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory and US-linked assets in the region.
As the confrontation entered its eighth day, Israel carried out additional strikes while explosions were reported near one of Tehran’s major commercial airports. What initially began as aerial exchanges has since expanded into a wider regional conflict involving drone operations across parts of the Gulf.
Amid the growing crisis, US President Donald Trump adopted a hardline stance, stating there would be “no deal” with Iran unless the country accepted what he described as “unconditional surrender.” He also suggested that Iran should move toward selecting a new leadership that would be acceptable to his administration.