Israel receives US weapons blocked by Biden; Netanyahu thanks Trump: 'Greatest friend Israel has ever had'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump on Sunday for sending munitions that were previously delayed by the Biden administration.

He said the weapons would help Israel in its fight against Iran and its allied militant groups, including Hamas.

Netanyahu described Trump as "the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House." In a video statement, he said, "He's shown it by sending us all the munitions that were being held up. This way he is giving Israel the tools we need to finish the job against Iran's terror axis."

He made similar remarks last month during a news conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying that Israel had already dealt a "mighty blow" to Iran’s network of militant groups since the Gaza war began in October 2023. He referred to organisations like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, which Iran calls its "axis of resistance."

Trump, who returned to office in January, has reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy against Iran, similar to his first-term approach. The US president has also demonstrated strong support for Israel by inviting Netanyahu as the first foreign leader to visit the White House after his return.

On Saturday, Rubio announced he had signed a declaration to speed up the delivery of $4 billion in military assistance to Israel. He also confirmed that a partial arms embargo imposed under former President Joe Biden had been lifted.