Trump Defies Biden's Block, Sends Powerful Bunker Busters to Israel

The Pentagon has confirmed that approximately 1,800 MK-84 bombs — commonly known as "bunker busters" — will be dispatched to Israel in the coming days. These formidable weapons, capable of penetrating deep underground before detonation, had been held in storage since May when then-President Biden suspended their delivery due to mounting concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza.

The timing of this decision is particularly noteworthy, coming just days after the announcement of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has resulted in the release of several hostages. The weapons transfer decision also coincides with Trump's controversial proposal for addressing the Gaza crisis through a radical population transfer initiative.

"I'd like Egypt to take people," Trump declared during an Air Force One exchange, outlining his vision for what he termed "cleaning out" Gaza. "You're talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, 'You know, it's over.'"

This bold — and potentially inflammatory — proposition represents a dramatic departure from traditional U.S. policy approaches to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump's suggestion of relocating Gaza's population, whether "temporary or long term," has already sparked intense debate among international observers and human rights advocates.

The weapons transfer itself carries significant implications. The Biden administration had previously delivered more than 10,000 of these powerful munitions to Israel during the current conflict, but had imposed the May embargo specifically to discourage Israeli military operations in densely populated areas — particularly the southern city of Rafah.

Trump's reversal of this policy was presaged by outgoing Israeli ambassador to the United States Mike Herzog, who had predicted such a move. "We believe that Trump is going to release, at the beginning of his term, the munitions that haven't been released until now by the Biden administration," Herzog stated, in what now appears to be a prescient observation.

The president confirmed the policy shift on his Truth Social platform, declaring, "A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!"

This development occurs against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, which aims to secure the release of all remaining hostages and establish a more permanent halt to hostilities. The Netanyahu government has maintained its position that military operations could resume if Hamas fails to release all hostages — a stance that may be emboldened by this new access to powerful military hardware.

The decision to release these weapons — coupled with Trump's radical proposal for Gaza's future — signals a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward the conflict. While supporters argue these moves demonstrate unwavering support for Israel's security concerns, critics worry about the potential humanitarian implications and the impact on long-term regional stability.