State Department expedites $4 billion in military aid to Israel, waives Congressional review

The United States will expedite approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel after Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed an emergency declaration, the State Department announced on 1 March.

‘I have signed a declaration to use emergency authorities to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel,’ Rubio said in a statement. ‘The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump.’

The emergency determination waives Congressional review requirements under the Arms Export Control Act for two major sales: $2.04 billion for munitions and $295 million for Caterpillar D9 bulldozers, according to formal notifications issued by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (‘DSCA’) on 28 February.

The munitions sale includes ‘35,529 MK 84 or BLU-117 General Purpose bomb bodies, or a combination of both; and 4,000 1-2000 Penetrator warheads’ plus associated support and services. Deliveries are estimated to begin in 2026, with General Dynamics, Ellwood National Forge Company and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant serving as prime contractors.

The separate bulldozer sale includes D9R and D9T Caterpillar models with spare parts, technical documentation, and support services, with deliveries expected to begin in 2027.
‘The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel of the above defense articles and defense services in the national security interests of the United States,’ both DSCA notifications stated.

Rubio noted that the decision ‘coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum which had imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies.’

Since taking office, the Trump Administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major Foreign Military Sales (‘FMS’) to Israel, Rubio added.

https://www.state.gov/military-assistance-to-israel/

https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/israel-munitions-and-munitions-support

https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/israel-caterpillar-d9-bulldozers