US Approves $735 Million in Weapons Sales to Israel, Second Emergency Approval This Month

The United States Department of State announced on Friday that it had approved the sale of $735 million in weapons to Israel. This is the second time this month that the Trump administration has declared an emergency to quickly approve weapons sales to Israel.

The first emergency sale was announced on August 14th and included $1 billion in precision-guided missiles. The latest sale includes 35,529 general-purpose bomb bodies for 2,000-pound bombs and 4,000 bunker-busting 2,000-pound bombs made by General Dynamics. The Pentagon said that deliveries would begin in 2026, but that some of the weapons could be delivered immediately from US stock.

The second package, valued at $675 million, consisted of five thousand 1,000-pound bombs and corresponding kits to help guide the "dumb" bombs. Delivery for this package was estimated to be in 2028. A third notification consisted of $295 million worth of Caterpillar D9 bulldozers.

The Trump administration's decision to approve these weapons sales has been met with criticism from some members of Congress, who argue that it will only escalate the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Others have argued that the sales are necessary to ensure Israel's security.

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas last month halted 15 months of fighting and paved the way for talks on ending the war. However, Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, casting doubt over the second phase of the deal meant to include releases of additional hostages and prisoners as well as steps toward a permanent end of the war.