The United States has approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Thursday, the kingdom’s latest major arms purchase since the start of the Iran war.
The State Department has notified Congress about the proposed sale, which would require the approval of US lawmakers. It did not provide a time frame for the delivery of the jets. The State Department announced the approval of a $5 billion sale of more than 10,000 bombs — including highly destructive 2,000-pound weapons — to Riyadh earlier in September.
“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with US forces,” the State Department said in a statement. It “will also augment Saudi Arabia’s operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air, and air-to-ground self-defense capability,” the statement said.
US Concerns Over F-35 Sale Amid Regional Tensions
The State Department has stated that the proposed sale of F-35 fighter jets to Israel will not disrupt the military balance in the region, adhering to the long-standing US policy that Israel must maintain a military advantage over its potential adversaries. However, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi has raised alarms, arguing that the sale could jeopardize sensitive American military technology by making it accessible to the Chinese Communist Party.
In related developments, Yemen’s civil war has seen a resurgence since July, following years of dormancy. Fighting has reignited between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized, Riyadh-backed government. The Houthis have imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and are actively targeting its ships in the Red Sea, escalating tensions in the region.
