The Israeli Defence Ministry confirmed on Sunday the arrival of a shipment of US-made heavy bombs, which had been delayed by the Biden administration.
According to the ministry, the cargo, consisting of MK-84 2,000-lb munitions, was unloaded at Ashdod Port and transported to Israeli airbases.
The shipment had been held up by the Biden administration in May 2023 following Israel’s ground invasion in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz commented on the arrival of the munitions, describing them as a significant asset for the Israeli Air Force and the IDF and emphasising the strong US-Israel alliance.
The ministry also reported that since the start of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023, Israel has received over 76,000 tons of military equipment via 678 transport planes and 129 ships, mostly from the US.
The MK-84 unguided bombs, high-explosive devices weighing around one ton, are primarily used to destroy large structures and inflict significant damage over a wide area. These bombs were reportedly involved in the attack on Gaza’s Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in October 2023, an airstrike that killed more than 470 people.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect on January 19, halting Israel’s military operations, which have claimed the lives of more than 48,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left Gaza in devastation.
