US sends 900-kilogram bombs to Israel

BarcelonaAn undetermined quantity of 900-kilogram bombs arrived in Israel on Saturday night from the United States, the Israeli Ministry of Defense reported. The projectiles had been held by the government of former President Joe Biden, but Donald Trump has unblocked the shipment upon returning to the White House. On the other hand, this Sunday the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, met in Jerusalem with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and stressed that "all hostages must return home immediately." Netanyahu has defended Trump's proposal to promote the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza: "No forced deportation, no ethnic cleansing. In wars, people leave," he justified.

The MK-84 bombs arrived this Saturday night by boat at the port of Ashdod, some 40 kilometers south of Tel-Aviv. They were then loaded onto dozens of trucks and transported to Israeli air bases, the statement said. "The delivery of the ammunition […] represents a significant contribution to the air force and the army and serves as clear proof of the alliance between Israel and the United States," said Defense Minister Israel Katz. On January 25, Netanyahu had already thanked Trump for keeping his promise to provide Israel "with the tools it needs to defend itself."

Although Biden always supported Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, and did not stop providing weapons to the Netanyahu government, in May of last year he stopped the shipment of this type of bombs for fear that they would be used in densely populated areas of Rafah, in the south.

Bombs used in the Vietnam War

MK-84s, heavy unguided bombs weighing 900 kilos, are capable of creating a crater 15 metres wide and 11 metres deep. Depending on the height from which they are launched, they can pierce up to 3.4 metres of concrete. Their lethal fragmentation radius is 370 metres in a circle. They were commonly used during the Vietnam War, but have also been used in many other conflicts: in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and, of course, also in Gaza.

Since the start of the Israeli offensive in October 2023, more than 76,000 tonnes of military equipment have arrived in Israel aboard 678 aircraft and 129 ships, the vast majority from the United States, according to data from the Israeli Ministry of Defence. In the Gaza Strip, more than 48,000 people have already died, mostly women and children.

After meeting Netanyahu on his first trip to the Middle East since taking office, the US Secretary of State called on America's partners to "help convince Hamas's leaders that they are playing with fire." "The fact that these terrorists continue to hold hostages and even bodies is a testament to their sick depravity," he added.

For his part, the Israeli prime minister has defended Trump's plan to promote the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to other countries: "Why don't we give this option to the Gazans? Everyone says that this [Gaza] is the largest open-air prison in the world. in Jerusalem. "No forced deportation, no ethnic cleansing. In wars, people leave," he concluded.

The Israeli president has called a meeting of the security cabinet on Monday to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which Israel and Hamas were to negotiate from February 3. However, according to the Islamist group, no progress has been made in this regard. With that same objective, an Israeli delegation will also travel to Egypt on Monday. Trump has already announced that he will support any decision by Israel in this regard.