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The U.S. Department of Defense has signed a $210 million contract with Israel's Tomer to produce XM1208 cluster munitions, marking a significant shift in U.S.-Israel military procurement. This contract, awarded in September without public competition, is the largest recorded purchase of weapons from an Israeli firm.

The XM1208 is designed to have a dud rate of less than 1%, intended to minimize risks to civilians. However, the real-world failure rates may be higher, raising humanitarian concerns. This deal occurs amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and reflects tensions over the use of cluster munitions, which many countries condemn due to their indiscriminate nature.