The Republican representative said in a letter sent to the Democratic president and seen by Reuters on Thursday: “I ask you to take action today to ensure the acceleration of arms shipments to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs, to support our ally.”
McCaul, who reviews all major US arms sales abroad in his capacity as head of the committee, stated that he is also aware of more than 10 other deals to sell weapons to Israel that have been awaiting final approval for more than 4 months, and he urged moving quickly to approve them.
McCall’s sending of the letter comes amid growing global fears about the outbreak of a large-scale war in the Middle East.
Republicans have been calling on Biden for months to reverse a decision he made earlier this year to withhold a shipment of bombs weighing 2,000 pounds against the backdrop of fears of the impact they could have in densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip.
A single 2,000-pound bomb can penetrate thick concrete and metal barriers, leaving wide blast circles.
“We all hope that Israel does not need these larger bombs, but they are operationally necessary because Israel’s enemies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, deliberately use bunkers and tunnels deep underground,” McCaul wrote.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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