Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration has notified Congress of plans to approve a massive $6.4 billion arms sale to Israel, bolstering the U.S. ally’s military amid its intensifying operations in Gaza and growing international isolation. Sources familiar with the proposal say the package includes $3.8 billion for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters – nearly doubling Israel’s current fleet – and $1.9 billion for 3,250 armored infantry vehicles, with deliveries slated for two to three years out.
The request, sent to Capitol Hill about a month ago, underscores President Donald Trump’s unyielding support for Israel as peace efforts falter. It comes just days before the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York, where the Security Council will address the Gaza crisis. The White House has already greenlit nearly $12 billion in major military aid this year, including a June $500 million deal for bomb guidance kits. Trump, speaking from the Oval Office Friday, framed the sales as vital for Israel’s defense: “We’re standing with our greatest ally against terrorists – no more hesitation.”
The move highlights deepening U.S. partisan rifts. Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, praised it as “ironclad commitment” to countering Hamas and Hezbollah threats. Yet, Democrats erupted in protest. Sen. Bernie Sanders decried the package as “fueling endless war,” noting over half of Senate Democrats recently voted against similar sales. A bipartisan group of senators introduced a resolution Thursday urging U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state, signaling wariness over Israel’s Gaza assault, which has drawn genocide accusations from scholars and displaced thousands.
Critics, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, warn the arms flow risks complicity in civilian casualties, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting two hospitals shuttered by recent strikes. Pro-Israel groups like AIPAC hailed the deal as essential deterrence. As congressional reviews proceed – often a formality for such sales – the proposal tests America’s moral compass in the Middle East: unwavering alliance or calls for restraint in a volatile region? With midterms looming, the arms surge could rally Trump’s base while alienating moderates.
