The shipment came in as the IDF was considering renewing the war in Gaza in the coming two weeks should Hamas cease delivering hostages according to the Phase I deal schedule.
YONAH JEREMY BOB
FEBRUARY 16, 2025 08:54Updated: FEBRUARY 16, 2025 10:14
A shipment of MK-84 2,000 bombs from the US has arrived in Israel, the Defense Ministry announced on Sunday, officially ending an approximate nine-month freeze by the Biden administration, which the Trump administration reversed upon entering office.
The shipment came in as the IDF was considering renewing the war in Gaza in the coming two weeks should Hamas cease delivering hostages according to the Phase I deal schedule or should the sides fail to reach a deal for continuing hostage releases in Phase II.
On May 6, 2024, the IDF invaded Rafah after a three-month debate with the Biden administration over whether the invasion would take place (it opposed the invasion), and if it would, using what kinds of tactics (it wanted a more gradual invasion to give months for Palestinian civilians to evacuate.)
Within days, then US president Joe Biden himself threatened a full arms freeze and instituted a partial freeze, including of the MK-84 2,000 pound bombs, to show discontent with the IDF invasion and to wield a threat of harsher measures should large numbers of Palestinian civilians die.
The Jerusalem Post has learned that the partial freeze started even before the Rafah invasion.
MK-84 heavy munitions arrive from the US to Ashdod Port (ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTRY)
Further, the Post has learned that then-defense minister Yoav Gallant succeeded in ending parts of the freeze during a trip to Washington, DC, in June 2024.
However, according to defense sources, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly criticized Biden over the freeze and jousted with Biden’s team over moving to quickly cut a ceasefire with Hamas and toward signing on to a plan for the Palestinian Authority to take over Gaza, the US decided to maintain the partial freeze on the MK-84.
Current US President Donald Trump immediately removed the freeze upon his election on January 20, but it takes time to ship such large bombs across the Atlantic Ocean to Israel.
According to the defense ministry, in a joint with the US and the ministry’s International Transportation Authority Unit Procurement Directorate (DPD), the shipment of heavy aerial bombs recently released by the US government was received and unloaded on Saturday night.
The vessel, carrying heavy MK-84 munitions, docked and was unloaded at the Port of Ashdod.
The munitions were loaded onto dozens of trucks from the Transportation Unit of the Ministry’s Logistics and Assets Department and the IDF’s Technological and Logistics Directorate and transferred to the Air Force.
The ministry continues to procure and transport munitions for the IDF.
To date, over 76,000 tons of military equipment have arrived in Israel via 678 airlifts and 129 sea shipments. This represents the largest air and sea bridge in Israel’s history.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “The munitions shipment that arrived in Israel tonight, released by the Trump Administration, represents a significant asset for the Air Force and the IDF and serves as further evidence of the strong alliance between Israel and the United States.”
“In our recent conversation, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reaffirmed America’s commitment to continue providing Israel with all necessary tools to ensure its security,” said Katz.
The defense minister added, “I thank President Donald Trump and the US Administration for their unwavering support of the State of Israel. We will continue working together to strengthen our security.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-842285.
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