Israel has received a shipment of heavy MK-84 bombs from the United States after President Donald Trump lifted a block imposed on ammunition exports by the administration of his predecessor, Joe Biden, the Israeli Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday.
The MK-84 is a 2,000-pound bomb capable of penetrating concrete and thick metal, creating a wide blast radius, according to Reuters.
The Biden administration had refused to release the bombs for export to Israel due to concerns about the impact on densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
The Biden administration sent thousands of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel following the October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militants from Hamas in Gaza but later decided not to release one of the shipments.
The ban was lifted by Trump last month.
“The munitions shipment that arrived in Israel tonight, released by the Trump administration, represents a significant asset for the Air Force and the IDF and serves as further evidence of the strong alliance between Israel and the United States,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz late Saturday.
The shipment arrived after days of uncertainty over whether a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, agreed to last month, would be implemented, as both sides accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement to allow the exchange of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.
Washington has announced billions of dollars in aid to Israel since the beginning of the war.
