Israel receives shipment of heavy bombs cleared by Trump

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

February 16, 2025 5:56 PM EST Updated 34 min ago


JERUSALEM/WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Israel has received a shipment of heavy MK-84 bombs from the United States, after U.S. President Donald Trump lifted a block imposed on the export of the munitions by the administration of predecessor Joe Biden, the defence ministry said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump said he lifted a Biden-era block on the export of the bombs to Israel despite a ceasefire agreement being in place because he believed in "peace through strength."

"They contracted for the weapons a long time ago with the Biden administration, and then Biden wouldn't deliver the weapons. But I look at it differently. I say, 'peace through strength,'" Trump told reporters after returning to West Palm Beach, Florida, after a short trip to Daytona Beach. "They were sitting there. Nobody knew what to do with them. They bought them."

The MK-84 is an unguided 2,000-pound (907-kg) bomb, which can rip through thick concrete and metal, creating a wide blast radius. The Biden administration declined to clear them for export to Israel out of concern about the impact on densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/israel-receives-shipment-heavy-bombs-cleared-by-trump-2025-02-16/

[BoRaGard]

1. G.O.P. wants to flatten Gaza further for their Luxury condos

[Aussie105]

3. Beat me to it!

'Peace through strength'?

Lots of strength in the form of terrain levelling bombs, little peace.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. Trump literally said the plan it to "level it"

I can't believe it didn't get more attention in the news, but Trump literally said the plan is for complete obliteration of Gaza so they can develop it.

[AloeVera]

9. There really isn't much work left on the obliteration.

It's pretty much done, sadly.

The real estate development part is new of course. And the proposed ethnic cleansing couched as a humanitarian gesture - but only the saying the quiet part out loud part.

In reality, ethnic cleansing is where this was going since the first 10,000 bombs were dropped in the first couple of weeks. Everything else was just window dressing and an effing big lie.

[Johnny2X2X]

10. There's still a lot left

40% of buildings are still unharmed. Of the 60% of them that are damaged, many can be repaired. And that's what the people who live there want, they want to return to their homes and rebuild. The roads are about 1/3 completely intact.

But I think you're right that the goal all along was to do so much damage it would be so difficult to rebuild that people might not bother doing so. I think Israel will resume bombing as soon as they have an excuse to.

[AloeVera]

14. 92% of housing destroyed or damaged

Per UN, as of February 2025.

Nearly 1.9 million people in need of emergency shelter, aka homeless.

https://www.ochaopt.org/content/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-11-february-2025

I don't know how this was allowed to happen. It's both infuriating and heartbreaking. Illuminating too, and not in a good way.

And as you say, it's more than likely not over yet. I feel terrible for these poor people.

[Johnny2X2X]

15. It's awful

And there is no good outcome for them. Staying is the only option, there are no "beautiful" places for them to go to, and even if there were, these people would stay in Gaza because it's the only home they've ever known.

Fuck Hamas and Fuck Netanyahu!

[AloeVera]

16. Yup to both!

Fuck Trump too!

It's not just that it's their home. It's the added layer of their history of forced displacement in 1948, 1967. To be "cleansed" a second time, after having endured and persevered for 75+ years against occupation, siege/blockade and oppression - to have it all be a waste and a tragedy. They've been royally screwed, including by the West, and essentially discarded. That kind of cruelty and injustice really bothers me and sends me to despair.

But now back to enjoying Family Day here in Ontario. How lucky we are, in spite of everything, compared to the Palestinians.

[purr-rat beauty]

12. Trump is a fucking idiot.

I'm sure the environment is RIFE with toxins. But of course trump wasn't paying attention to the horrific health impacts on 9/11 responders and survivors.

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/damage-gaza-causing-new-risks-human-health-and-long-term-recovery

An estimated 39 million tonnes of debris have been generated by the conflict – for each square metre in the Gaza Strip, there is now over 107 kg of debris. This is more than five times the quantity of debris generated from the 2017 conflict in Mosul, Iraq. Debris poses risks to human health and the environment, from dust and contamination with unexploded ordnance, asbestos, industrial and medical waste, and other hazardous substances. Human remains buried beneath the debris must be dealt with sensitively and appropriately. Clearing the debris will be a massive and complex task, which needs to start as soon as possible to enable other types of recovery and reconstruction to proceed.

[Johnny2X2X]

13. That's a bonus to Trump

He can hire minorities to clean up the mess and get cancer and die.

[Historic NY]

2. Gaza Plaza construction materials

I presume. Sure glad all them GAZA protesters think Trump is doing a heck of a job.

[twodogsbarking]

4. We stir up trouble and then sell weapons. We do it so well.

[GreenWave]

5. If possible we sell to both sides.

[nwduke]

7. All you protesting Palestinians who opposed Harris -

FAFO!

[Exp]

8. Fuck Netanyahu and the Borscht he road in on! oh yeah, and Fuck TRUMP. nt

[Ken Mosul]

11. Genocide Don!

Aren't the Gaza protestors proud of themselves. It only took less than one month.