US Approves Sale of 12,000 1,000-Pound Bomb Shells to Israel, Citing National Security

Washington, United States — The United States Department of State has approved an emergency sale of 12,000 bomb shells to Israel. The shells weigh 1,000 pounds each (450 kilograms) and are valued at around US$151.8 million. The approval was granted by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the State Department. ‘This sale will enhance Israel’s ability to face the threats it currently faces, strengthen its defence at home, and deter regional threats,’ the bureau said in a statement, reported by AFP on Saturday, 7 March 2026.

In addition to the munitions, the sale includes logistical support and technical assistance from the U.S. government and contractors.

U.S. President Donald Trump said major American defence firms have agreed to double the production of advanced weapons. He made the remark in a social media post on Friday, 6 March local time, a week after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran for the first time.

Arms sales typically require the U.S. Congress’s approval. However, in this case, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver, bypassing that approval.

The Secretary of State provided a detailed justification that an emergency exists which requires the rapid sale of defence articles and defence services to the Government of Israel in the interests of United States national security, the State Department said, citing the Arms Export Control Act.

Representative Gregory Meeks, a Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said bypassing Congressional review of the arms sale ‘exposes the stark contradiction at the heart of this administration’s war argument.’ ‘The Trump administration has repeatedly asserted that they are fully prepared for this war,’ Meeks said in a statement. ‘Hastily using emergency authority to avoid Congress is making a different tale.’ ‘This is an emergency created by the Trump administration itself,’ he added.