US Approves $5 Billion Bomb Sale to Saudi Arabia

The United States has approved the sale of $5 billion worth of bombs, guidance kits and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia.

The approval was announced on Friday (September 4), according to Gulf News.

In a statement, the US State Department said the proposed sale would enhance Saudi Arabia’s air-defense capabilities against current and future regional threats, strengthen internal defense and improve interoperability with US forces and other partners in the Gulf region.

The department said the sale would also support US foreign-policy and national-security objectives by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally.

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran. Iranian forces and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group have launched drone and missile attacks on Saudi territory since the conflict began earlier this year.

The US State Department has notified Congress about the proposed sale. The deal now awaits approval from US lawmakers before it can be finalized.