The United States plans to sell Israel $139 million worth of air-launched bombs, Israeli security sources said today.
The Haaretznewspaper quoted a Pentagon report as saying the planned procurement sought "to maintain Israel's qualitative advantage and advance US strategic and tactical interests".
The deal will include 500 "bunker busters" able to penetrate Iran's underground nuclear facilities, it is reported.
An Israeli security source, who confirmed the Haaretzstory, said: "This is not the sort of ordnance needed for the Palestinian front. Bunker busters could serve Israel against Iran, or possibly Syria."
Haaretzquoted Israeli government sources as saying the sale, including 4,500 other guided munitions, was not expected to go through until after the US elections in November.
Earlier this month, Haaretzsaid Israel sought to obtain the US-made, one-tonne "bunker buster" bombs for a possible future strike against Iran's atomic development programme, which the Jewish state considers a strategic threat.
Tehran denies hostile designs, saying its nuclear programme has peaceful purposes only. This week, it rejected international calls to comply with a UN International Atomic Energy Agency's demand that it halt all uranium-enrichment activities.