Rubio signs declaration to expedite $4B in arms to Israel 'wrongly withheld' by Biden
Biden withheld weapons at a time when Israel was "fighting a war of survival"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Saturday that he has signed a declaration to expedite the delivery of nearly $4 billion in military aid to Israel, reversing a partial arms blockage imposed during the Biden administration.
"The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump," Rubio said in a statement.
The announcement comes as solutions to achieve a permanent cease-fire between longtime American ally Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas remain unclear.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Since taking office, the Trump administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major foreign military sales to Israel, Rubio said.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he has used emergency authority to expedite the delivery of military assistance worth nearly $4 billion to Israel. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
"This important decision coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum which had imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies," Rubio continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Saturday’s announcement comes two days after the State Department said it has approved the potential sale of nearly $3 billion in bombs, demolition kits and other weaponry to Israel, according to the Associated Press.
A Department of Defense plaque outside the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
The sales include approximately 40,000 defense items, including 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs as well as 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The weaponry is expected to be delivered in 2026. However, some items may be ready for immediate shipment due to the possibility that "a portion of this procurement will come from U.S. stock," according to the Associated Press, citing the Pentagon.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of State for more information but did not immediately receive a response.
A test pilot drops several MK-84 bombs midair. (USAF)
Rubio also approved a second package of munitions sales to Israel valued at $675 million for 2028, the Department of Defense reportedly stated.
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"The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to fulfill America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats," Rubio said in Saturday’s statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.