The U.S. State Department has approved a $151.8 million munitions sale to Israel without submitting it for congressional review, citing an emergency amid escalating attacks on Iran. The move comes a week after U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iranian targets.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that an “emergency” required immediate action, allowing the sale to bypass Congress. The package includes 12,000 BLU-110A/B 1,000-pound general-purpose bomb bodies, with Repkon USA in Texas as the principal contractor.
The State Department said the sale is “in the national security interests of the United States,” underscoring Washington’s support for Israel amid the ongoing Iran conflict.
Congressional and political reactions
Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks criticized the decision, saying it reflects a lack of preparation for the war on Iran.
“Rushing to invoke emergency authority to circumvent Congress tells a different story. This is an emergency of the Trump administration's own creation,” Meeks said.
Historically, both Trump and Biden administrations have bypassed Congress for military sales to Israel, raising questions about executive authority in urgent defense matters.
Background: Escalating conflict
The munitions sale comes amid intensifying hostilities in the region. U.S. and Israeli strikes began on February 28, targeting Iran, while Tehran has retaliated with attacks on Israel and neighboring countries hosting U.S. military bases.
According to Iran’s U.N. ambassador, 1,332 Iranian civilians have died since the conflict began, with thousands more injured. Israeli officials report at least 10 civilian deaths within Israel, while six U.S. service members were killed in a strike on a Kuwait facility.
U.S. military support for Israel has been consistent under both Trump and Biden, spanning conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. However, these actions have faced scrutiny from rights groups, particularly during Israel’s recent Gaza operations, which caused massive civilian casualties, displacement, and hunger crises. Israel maintains that its operations are acts of self-defense following Hamas-led attacks that killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in October 2023.
