Washington, March 7 (SANA) – The United States has approved the sale of ammunition worth $151.8 million to Israel without submitting the deal to Congress for review, citing the escalation of the ongoing war with Iran.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the US State Department said the package includes 12,000 BLU-110A/B multipurpose bombs, along with engineering, logistical and technical support provided by the US government.
The State Department said the proposed sale would enhance Israel’s ability to confront current and future threats and strengthen its defensive capabilities.
US arms sales normally require congressional approval, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued an emergency waiver allowing the deal to proceed without that process.
The decision drew criticism from some lawmakers. Representative Gregory Meeks, a Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said bypassing congressional review reflects what he described as contradictions in the administration’s approach to the war.
The State Department said the waiver was issued under the Arms Export Control Act, arguing that an emergency situation justified the immediate transfer of the defense equipment in what it described as the interest of US national security.
The move comes as US President Donald Trump said on social media that major American defense companies had agreed to significantly increase production of advanced weapons amid the ongoing conflict.