US approves possible $5b weapons sale to Saudi Arabia amid Middle East tensions

State Department says sale aims to boost Saudi airborne, homeland defence as kingdom faces Iranian, Houthi strikes

The United States on Friday approved a possible $5 billion sale of bombs, guidance kits and related equipment to Saudi Arabia amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and repeated attacks on the kingdom during the US-Israeli war against Iran.

The US State Department said the proposed sale was intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s airborne and homeland defence capabilities, help it counter current and future regional threats and improve interoperability with US forces and other Gulf partners.

The department said the package would also support US foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the security of Saudi Arabia, which it described as a major non-NATO ally.

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The proposed sale included thousands of guidance kits and bombs, as well as fuzes, target detectors, containers, support equipment, spare parts and technical assistance. Boeing was identified as the principal contractor.

Saudi Arabia had been targeted by drone and missile strikes by Iranian forces and Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels since the US and Israel launched their war against Iran earlier this year.

The State Department had notified Congress of the proposed sale, which still required approval by US lawmakers. The notification therefore represented a potential arms transfer rather than a completed contract.