The United States government has approved the sale of more than 20,000 bombs to Israel, valued at approximately $650 million. According to officials, President Donald Trump’s administration granted the approval without going through the regular congressional review process. The US State Department stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined an emergency situation existed, allowing the administration to bypass the usual congressional oversight.

Officials also said Israel will purchase an additional $298 million worth of weapons and ammunition through direct commercial sales. The decision follows a December 2024 United Nations report that indicated Israel may have used similar heavy weapons in densely populated areas of Gaza during ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory.

The report’s findings have drawn attention to the potential humanitarian impact of such arms transfers, though the US government has justified the move on emergency grounds.