The United States has approved military sales worth more than $8.6 billion to Middle Eastern partners, including Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, the State Department said on Friday.
The decision comes as the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran enters its ninth week. A ceasefire has been in place for just over three weeks.
Details of the approved deals
Qatar will receive support services for Patriot air and missile defence systems valued at $4.01 billion. The country will also purchase Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS), a laser-guided weapons kit, worth $992.4 million.
Kuwait plans to acquire an integrated battle command system costing $2.5 billion. Israel will purchase APKWS valued at $992.4 million. The United Arab Emirates will receive the same system in a deal worth $147.6 million.
BAE Systems will serve as the main contractor for the APKWS deals with Qatar, Israel and the UAE. RTX and Lockheed Martin will lead the contracts for Qatar’s Patriot support services and Kuwait’s battle command system. Northrop Grumman will also take part in the Kuwaiti project.
Wider impact and regional context
The US has warned several European allies about possible delays in weapons deliveries. These include the United Kingdom, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia. The Financial Times reports that high demand has reduced US stockpiles.
During the conflict, Iranian missiles and drones have targeted several Gulf countries. These states are not directly involved in the fighting.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that officials had briefed him on additional military options related to Iran. He also expressed concerns about a new ceasefire proposal from Tehran.
The US and Israel launched their campaign to limit Iran’s military capabilities. However, key goals remain unresolved. These include preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, dismantling its missile programme, and encouraging internal political change.
