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Boeing is speeding up the delivery of 1,000 smart bombs to Israel after Hamas terrorists attacked the country over the weekend, a defense official told Fox News.
The 250-pound small diameter bombs, which the Israeli Air Force flew from a U.S. Air Force base back to Israel, were part of a 2021 contract and was a "direct commercial sale" between the defense contractor and the Israeli military.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA | THE BOEING CO. | 179.79 | +0.94 | +0.53% |
According to Bloomberg, a senior defense official told reporters Monday that the weaponry on its way to Israel wasn’t part of a "Foreign Military Sale" between governments but a "Direct Commercial Sale" between the bomb maker and Israel.
Boeing smart bombs are seen attached to the underside of an aircraft wing. (U.S. Air Force via Boeing / Fox News)
On Tuesday, a second defense official said that Monday’s comments referred to expedited transactions under a May 2021 Direct Commercial Sale between Boeing and Israel, which the State Department valued at up to $735 million, Bloomberg reported.
The deal also included equipment to convert unguided bombs into GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions, the outlet said.
Boeing declined comment on the matter to FOX Business.
According to Bloomberg, the 2021 deal was controversial when the Biden administration informed Congress of the sale. Subsequently, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and several House members tried to stop the proposed sale in protest over Israeli attacks in Gaza at the time, but it wasn’t voted on.
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Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes hammered downtown Gaza City with bombardments on Tuesday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation against Hamas that would "reverberate for generations."
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The conflict has already left more than 1,000 dead.
Boeing Co.
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FOX Business' Kristen Altus contributed to this report.