Trump administration seeks to approve $6 billion US arms sale to Israeli military

The Trump administration has requested approval from U.S. Congress for selling nearly $6 billion in military equipment to Israel.

A U.S. source revealed that the proposed package includes a $3.8 billion sale of 30 AH-64 Apache helicopters to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which would nearly double its current helicopter fighting fleet. The deal also reportedly covers $1.9 billion for more than 3,000 infantry assault vehicles for Israel’s ground forces, along with approximately $750 million in support parts for armored personnel carriers.

Overall, the proposed deal underscores the Trump administration’s strong backing of Israel and its emphasis on ensuring the country’s ability to defend itself.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently distanced himself from Israel's aerial strike on Hamas’ headquarters in Doha, Qatar's capital.

“I’m just not thrilled about the whole situation... We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today,” Trump told reporters.

Qatar, which has invested billions in the U.S. economy and hosts a major American naval base, has positioned itself as a mediator between Hamas and Israel while simultaneously sheltering much of Hamas’s political leadership. Although the Trump administration expressed concern over Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar, the newly proposed military package underscores that U.S.-Israel relations remain strong.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem this week, stressed that relations with Israel remain strong, saying, “At the end of the day, no matter what has happened or happens, the objective remains the same, and that is all 48 of those hostages, both living and deceased, need to be home. They need to be returned.”

Rubio once again condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas atrocities against largely Israeli civilians, including women, children and elderly residents.

“What happened on October 7 was an act of unparalleled barbarism, and what's happened since then have been repeated acts of unparalleled barbarism on the part of Hamas,” Rubio said. He emphasized that genuine peace requires the removal of Hamas as a military and political force in the region, saying, “Hamas needs to cease to exist as an armed element that can threaten the peace and security of the region.”

Since the beginning of the year, the Trump administration has approved military equipment to Israel worth approximately $12 billion, including the resupply of precision bombs for the Israeli Air Force.

Some U.S. lawmakers critical of Israel, including Senator Bernie Sanders, have called for ending military aid to the Jewish state, even as it confronts threats from the Iranian-led axis in the Middle East.

In April, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly rejected two anti-Israel resolutions proposed by Sanders that called for blocking military aid to Israel. The resolutions were defeated 82-15 and 83-15.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) praised the U.S. Senate for its solid support of Israel and its right to defend itself.

“We applaud the Trump administration for approving these sales and helping ensure Israel has the resources it needs to win. The majority of Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans reaffirmed profound American support for our ally and rejected the repeated dangerous efforts by Senator Sanders and his allies to weaken Israel and undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship,” AIPAC said in its official statement.