Trump clears $2.8 bn Israel arms package amid Iran-US war: What are large MK-84, BLU-117 bombs and I-2000 warheads that were halted in 2024 for its usage in Gaza and Lebanon

The Trump administration is pressing for approval of a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel that would include 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, potentially making it the largest single US sale of such munitions to the country in recent years, The Washington Post reported, citing US officials familiar with the matter. The proposed package has been informally notified to congressional committees but has not yet received final approval.

The planned shipment would contain two types of 2,000-pound bombs: 20,000 MK-84 general-purpose bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, the latter a variant of the MK-84. The package would also include 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads.

The proposed transfer would be financed through the US Foreign Military Financing programme, under which Washington provides funding that Israel uses to purchase American weapons.


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What are the two types of 2,000-pound bombs?

The MK-84 is a 2,000-pound general-purpose, free-fall bomb and the largest member of the US Mark 80 series. It is designed to produce a large blast and fragmentation effect and can be used against a range of targets.

The BLU-117 is a 2,000-pound warhead variant of the MK-84. Although externally similar to the MK-84, it uses a different explosive filling and incorporates a protective coating. The US Navy uses the BLU-117 in place of the MK-84 in some applications.

The proposed package therefore does not represent 40,000 completely different bomb designs. It consists of 20,000 MK-84s and 20,000 BLU-117s, both in the 2,000-pound class.

How many 2,000-pound bombs has Trump approved for Israel?

The Trump administration has already approved a separate sale involving more than 35,500 2,000-pound bombs since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, according to The Washington Post and AP. That 2025 sale was valued at nearly $3 billion and was approved without the normal congressional review process.

The latest proposal would add another 40,000 2,000-pound bombs if approved. However, those 40,000 should not currently be described as bombs that Trump has cleared, because the transaction is still going through the approval process.

Taken together, the previously approved quantity and the currently proposed package would amount to more than 75,500 2,000-pound bombs, but only the more than 35,500 from the earlier sale have been approved so far. The 40,000 in the new package remain pending.

What is in the new $2.8 billion package?

The proposed $2.8 billion package includes:

• 20,000 MK-84 2,000-pound bombs
• 20,000 BLU-117 2,000-pound bombs
• 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads

The I-2000 is a penetrator bomb body designed for use against hardened structures. The Washington Post reported that the proposed transaction is being financed through US Foreign Military Financing, meaning US funding would be used by Israel to purchase the weapons.

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Why is the proposed bomb sale drawing attention?

The proposed transfer follows an earlier US decision to withhold a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. The Biden administration paused a shipment of 1,800 MK-84 2,000-pound bombs in 2024 amid concerns about their potential use in densely populated areas. Trump reversed that hold after returning to office in January 2025.

The new proposal is larger than previous US sales of 2,000-pound munitions to Israel during both the Biden and Trump administrations. The Washington Post reported that a $2.04 billion sale in 2025 had also attracted controversy after being approved without the normal congressional review process.

A senior US administration official, responding to questions about humanitarian concerns over the proposed transfer, told The Washington Post: “All foreign arms sales are moving through the appropriate process. We do not comment on pending sales.”

The proposed package is now being pressed by the Trump administration for congressional approval.