The department waived the congressional review requirements, citing an emergency ’that requires the immediate sale.’
The U.S. Department of State approved selling $151.8 million in munitions to Israel without congressional approval.
The State Department waived the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act after Israel requested 12,000 BLU-110A/B general-purpose, 1,000-pound bomb bodies.
“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 is in the national security interests of the United States,” the State Department stated in a press release on March 6.
A BLU-110A/B general-purpose bomb with a steel body and a section in the nose for a proximity sensor. It’s often used by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.
Some of the BLU-110 A/B will be transferred from stock, while the Texas-based company Repkon USA will take the lead as the principal contractor.
“This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic regional partner that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the secretary of state added.
The sale will include U.S. government and contractor engineering, logistics, and technical support services.
“The proposed sale will improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats.”
The sale was approved by the State Department nearly one week into the U.S. and Israel’s war against the Iranian regime, which started on Feb. 28.
Israel has executed at least 2,500 strikes with over 6,000 munitions in the first week of the war, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir.
“We destroyed approximately 80% of Iran’s air defense systems and achieved near-complete air superiority over Iranian skies,” Zamir said in a statement.
By Jacki Thrapp
