The Trump administration is preparing a $2.8 billion arms deal with Israel, comprising 40,000 heavy munitions, marking the largest single sale of this type of bomb in recent years. According to reports from the Washington Post and AFP, the package includes 20,000 MK-84 general-purpose bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 variants, along with I-2000 penetrator warheads designed to target underground structures. The transaction is funded through Foreign Military Financing, a mechanism where Washington provides the capital for Israel to purchase US weaponry.
The MK-84, referred to by US pilots as the “hammer” since the First Gulf War, is considered one of the most devastating weapons in Western arsenals. It can penetrate thick concrete and send shrapnel hundreds of meters outward. Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson cited an unnamed federal official on X, stating that an MK-84 has a half-mile destruction radius and generates thermal waves equivalent to the surface of the sun, capable of collapsing apartment buildings and creating craters 35 feet deep.
The proposal has drawn sharp rebuke from lawmakers and commentators alike. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced plans to block the sale, accusing President Trump of supplying taxpayer-funded bombs to a government led by what he described as a “wanted war criminal.” Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized the use of American funds, stating, “America does not support this,” and highlighting that tax dollars have been used to kill tens of thousands of innocent people.
Israel has utilized these 907kg bombs hundreds of times in Gaza and Lebanon, including in zones designated as safe for civilians, drawing sustained condemnation from human rights organizations. The current administration’s move contrasts with the Biden era, during which a single shipment of similar munitions was paused in 2024 due to civilian casualty concerns. President Trump reversed that pause within his first month back in office.
Beyond the humanitarian debates, the sale occurs against a backdrop of political friction. Analysts suggest the timing may be deliberate on Israel’s part, aimed at securing robust US military backing ahead of potential shifts in American policy. The deal also emerges amid reported strains between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside growing bipartisan unease in Washington regarding unconditional military support.
Taxpayer money destroying apartment buildings? This isn’t support, it’s indirect combat. My dollars shouldn’t fund crater-making.
Does anyone else find it ironic we’re funding munitions for a country our own politicians are now accusing of war crimes?
Wait, half-mile destruction radius? That seems exaggerated. I thought 2,000-pound bombs were precise, not city-levelers.
Another pause reversed so quickly feels reckless. Civilian safety should always come before rushing arms deals.