US authorises emergency ammunition sale to Israel

President Donald Trump’s administration has exercised extraordinary powers to approve the deal without sending it to Congress for review.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that an ‘emergency situation’ required the immediate delivery of weapons. According to the State Department, the sale serves the national security interests of the United States. The announcement came about a week after the start of joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Israel requested 12,000 BLU-110A/B bomb bodies weighing approximately 450 kilograms. The main supplier will be Repkon USA, a company based in Texas.

The decision has drawn criticism from some US Democrats. Congressman Gregory Meeks said that bypassing Congress indicates the administration’s lack of preparedness for a potential conflict with Iran.

Washington has long been one of Israel’s closest military allies and has supported it during conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Iraq. Arms sales to Israel without the standard congressional review process have also occurred in the past under President Joe Biden’s administration.

(reuters, est)