An F-16A with various types of bombs in the foreground. From left to right:. BL 755 cluster bomb, mk.82 snake eye high drag-bomb, BL 755, mk.82 Snake Eye, mk.84 bomb, ALQ-131 EOV POD, mk.84, entirely behind a Rockeye clusterbom. There are three Mk.82 Low Drag bombs under the wing. (Photo: IMAGO/piemags via Reuters)
As Israel Defense Forces continue fighting terrorists in both the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon, military sources have reported a troubling development, as the Biden administration is reportedly again delaying the delivery of some weapons.
Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that a shipment to Israel of approximately 20,000 MK-84 one-ton bombs is being delayed.
The Biden administration previously delayed delivery of the MK-84s over concerns about their use in Gaza. While Israel is working to establish local production lines, it has also been negotiating with the American government to resolve the crisis.
According to the report, the delay may affect operational capabilities but temporary solutions have already been put in place to help ensure Israel’s ability to strike its targets, at least for now.
The MK-84 is a key part of Israel’s arsenal to attack Hezbollah infrastructure embedded underground, often beneath civilian buildings.
Following the first delay of the one-ton bombs during the spring, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, under the direction of then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, began establishing the infrastructure to produce the weapons in Israel in order to reduce dependence on external suppliers.
Israel is also examining procurement of the bombs from other suppliers.
Israel previously suspended attacks in the Dahiyeh district in Beirut at the request of the U.S. government in an attempt to aid ceasefire negotiations in Lebanon. The IDF resumed the strikes when it became evident that Hezbollah was taking advantage of the pause in attacks to reorganize and reposition its resources.
Israeli defense sources told Walla news that they shared their concerns about the weapons deal with President-elect Donald Trump, who promised he would remove all barriers and delays in weapons shipments after he takes office in January 2025.
Channel 12 reported that a Trump official also vowed that immediately after Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, he would ban any arms delays or embargo on military equipment to Israel.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate blocked three resolutions that would have halted the transfer of certain weapons to Israel. The resolutions were introduced by progressive senators headed by Senator Bernie Sanders, over concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Around 80 senators voted against each of the three resolutions, with a small group of progressive Democrats supporting them. The Biden administration lobbied to prevent the resolutions from passing, providing a list of talking points to Democrat senators explaining that the provision of military supplies to Israel is an investment in the Jewish state’s long-term security and that it is already moving to address concerns over the situation in Gaza.
A Biden administration official told The Times of Israel, “We understand that many Democrats are heartbroken by the level of carnage in Gaza and unsatisfied with Israel’s efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis, but these resolutions would not have addressed these issues – in fact, they could end up indirectly exacerbating them.”