WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Saturday that he has invoked emergency authorities to expedite the delivery of $4 billion in military assistance to Israel, further solidifying the Trump administration’s unwavering support for its Middle Eastern ally.

"I have signed a declaration to use emergency authorities to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel," Rubio said in a statement, emphasizing that the move reverses what he described as a “wrongful partial arms embargo” imposed by the Biden administration.

The announcement follows the State Department’s approval of $3 billion in foreign military sales to Israel on Friday, which included munitions, guidance kits, and Caterpillar D9 bulldozers. In both cases, the administration waived congressional review, citing urgent security concerns.

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump’s administration has approved nearly $12 billion in military sales to Israel, Rubio noted.

“This important decision coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum that imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel, even as our close ally fights a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies,” he added.

The Trump administration’s increased military aid to Israel comes amid heightened global scrutiny of the U.S. role in Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

Critics argue that U.S. military support enables human rights violations, while advocates view the aid as essential for Israeli defense.

Despite international criticism, Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Israel’s security, vowing that the administration “will continue to use all available tools to counter security threats” in the region. — Agencies