Trump administration notifies Congress of $7.4 billion in arms sales to Israel
The latest weapons package comes after Trump informed Netanyahu the United States would "take over" the Gaza Strip and develop it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration formally notified Congress on Friday of more than $7.4 billion worth of munitions and guidance kits to Israel following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington this week.
The State Department notified Congress' armed services and foreign relations committees on Friday of $6.75 billion worth of GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs, MK-82 500-pound bomb bodies and various JDAM guidance kits.
The deliveries, at least some of which are to be made from US stockpiles, are expected to be completed this year, the Pentagon said in a press release.
"There will be no adverse impact on US defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale," the statement read.
The State Department also approved $660 million worth of some 2,000 AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles for Israel on Friday.
Why it matters: The new proposal comes as the Trump White House has handed Netanyahu a slew of wins, including a bold proposal to have the United States "take over" the Gaza Strip after the Israel-Hamas war.
The Israeli prime minister was the first foreign leader to visit the White House under Trump's second term this week.
Trump last month said his administration had also unlocked a single shipment of Mk-84 2,000-pound bombs withheld from delivery by the Biden administration last year to restrain the scope of Israel's bombardment of the southern Gaza enclave of Rafah.
"With our alliance, with your support — including the decision you just mentioned, of supplying Israel with much-needed tools for our defense — we are a lot stronger than we've ever been," Netanyahu said alongside Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant are wanted on charges by the UN's International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.
The United States has flatly rejected the legitimacy of the ICC's case. On Thursday Trump unveiled a package of economic sanctions targeting the international court, drawing condemnation from dozens of countries, including a majority of the body's member states.
The European Union and United Nations called on Washington to reverse the decision, warning that it undermines the rules-based international order.
What's next: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to head to the Middle East next week, with expected stops in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Know more: The top commander of US military forces in the Middle East is back in the region and landed in Israel on Wednesday after stops in the UAE and Bahrain.
Army Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla met with Israeli army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, air force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar and other IDF staff. Kurilla and IDF chiefs discussed Iran's multifront proxy bulwark as well as the situations in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, according to US CENTCOM.
He also met with the head of the Israel Security Agency, Ronen Bar, and Mossad director David Barnea.
