The United States has approved a proposed $5 billion sale of bombs, guidance kits and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia, which has faced repeated drone and missile attacks amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.
Gatekeepers News reports that the US State Department announced the approval on Friday, saying the deal would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defence capabilities and improve cooperation with Washington and other Gulf allies.
“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s airborne defence capability to counter current and future regional threats, strengthen its homeland defence, and improve interoperability with systems operated by US forces and other Gulf region partners,” the department said in a statement.
The State Department added that the proposed deal would also “support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally.”
Saudi Arabia has come under drone and missile attacks from Iranian forces and Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran earlier this year.
The State Department has formally notified the US Congress of the proposed sale. The deal will still require approval from lawmakers before it can be finalised.
