Senator Bernie Sanders forced the Senate to vote on two joint resolutions of disapproval on Wednesday to prevent nearly $500 million in arms sales to Israel, targeting 1,000-pound bombs and armored bulldozers.

The resolutions address a $151.8 million sale of 12,000 BLU-110A/B general-purpose 1,000-pound bombs under S.J.Res. 138, introduced March 19, 2026, and cosponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, and Peter Welch. The second, S.J.Res. 32, introduced March 10, 2025, seeks to halt a $295 million sale of D9R and D9T Caterpillar bulldozers along with related support services, spare parts, and equipment.

Sanders announced the effort Tuesday, stating on social media, "This week, I will be forcing a vote to block nearly $500 million in bombs and bulldozers to Israel. Enough is enough." He argued U.S. taxpayers should not fund what he called the "racist, extremist Netanyahu government," citing its actions in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and a war with Iran.

"The United States must use the leverage we have, tens of billions in arms and military aid, to demand that Israel end these atrocities," Sanders said in a press release. He claimed the sales violate the Foreign Assistance Act and Arms Export Control Act, pointing to human rights reports on civilian casualties from the bombs and bulldozer use in demolishing homes and infrastructure.

The State Department notified Congress of the sales under emergency provisions signed by Secretary Marco Rubio six days into the U.S.-allied Israel's war with Iran, bypassing standard review periods. The bulldozers, described as the Israeli Defense Forces' primary demolition tool, have been used to raze Palestinian homes, refugee camps, and olive groves, according to Sanders.

This marks another in a series of Sanders-led efforts to curb U.S. arms transfers to Israel amid conflicts sparked by Hamas's October 2023 attack and escalated fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran. Previous votes, such as those in July 2025 on $675 million in bombs, failed overwhelmingly but saw record Democratic support, with 27 senators voting to block sales.

In March 2026, Sanders filed resolutions against $658.8 million in additional bombs, part of broader criticism as U.S. aid to Israel has exceeded $22 billion since the Gaza war began.

The votes come as Israel confronts multiple fronts, including Iranian missile barrages and proxy attacks, with the U.S. providing critical munitions for defense. Outcomes remained pending late Wednesday morning, but similar measures have historically failed in the Republican-controlled Senate.