Washington: The U.S. State Department announced its approval for a potential Foreign Military Sale to Israel, which includes 12,000 aerial bombs and associated support services. The deal is valued at approximately 151.8 million U.S. dollars.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Israel's request for the purchase comprises 12,000 BLU-110A/B general purpose, 1,000-pound bomb bodies. The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has justified the sale by declaring an emergency, which necessitates the immediate transfer of these defense articles and services to Israel. This decision aligns with the national security interests of the United States and circumvents the usual Congressional review procedure under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act.

The U.S. statement highlighted that the proposed sale would bolster Israel's ability to address current and future threats, enhance its homeland defense, and act as a deterrent against regional threats. Additionally, the package includes engineering, logistics, technical support services, and other related elements provided by the U.S. government and contractors.

This development follows significant military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, numerous senior military commanders, and hundreds of civilians. In retaliation, Iran has launched multiple missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. assets in the region.