US Approves Major Arms Sales Amid Escalating Tensions in Middle East

The U.S. State Department announced Thursday that it has approved potential arms sales to three Middle Eastern nations, totaling more than $16.5 billion, in response to the escalating war with Iran.

The approved deals include the sale of missiles, drones, radar systems, and F-16 munitions and upgrades to the United Arab Emirates, with a combined value exceeding $8.4 billion. Additionally, lower-tier air and missile defense sensor radars for Kuwait, estimated at $8 billion, and aircraft and munitions support for Jordan, estimated at $70.5 million, were also greenlit.

This approval comes in the wake of Iran's retaliatory strikes on energy infrastructure following Israeli attacks on Iranian gas facilities, which marked the most significant escalation in the nearly three-week conflict, leading to spikes in gas and oil prices. The primary contractors for these sales include major defense firms RTX Corporation, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin Corporation.