In a significant policy shift, President Donald Trump has authorized the release of 2,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs to Israel, reversing a hold previously imposed by former President Joe Biden. The decision, confirmed by a White House source on Saturday, comes amid ongoing discussions about the humanitarian impact of such munitions in conflict zones.
The Biden administration had paused the delivery of these heavy munitions citing concerns over potential civilian casualties in areas like Gaza’s Rafah. Biden seemed to completely ignore the fact that the majority of Rafah is infested with Hamas terrorists and only a small portion of the region makes up a refugee camp.
President Trump announced the resumption of these shipments on the social media platform Truth Social, stating, “A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!” While he did not provide specific details, Israeli officials have indicated that approximately 1,800 MK-84 bombs will be delivered in the coming days.
This move is seen as an effort to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations, which had experienced tension due to the previous administration’s hold on certain military supplies. Outgoing Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Mike Herzog, had expressed optimism about the change, stating earlier this week that he expected President Trump to lift the ban early in his term.
