The United States has approved more than $16 billion in arms sales to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, as tensions escalate in the ongoing war involving Iran.
The announcement, made on Thursday, comes as Gulf states continue to face missile and drone attacks linked to the regional fallout from the Iran war, forcing them to deploy significant military resources for defence.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved the sales under emergency provisions, bypassing the usual requirement for congressional approval. He said the decision was necessary due to urgent security concerns in the region.
The largest portion of the package is an $8 billion sale of air and missile defence sensor radars, designed to detect and track high-speed threats and strengthen missile defence systems.
Another major component includes a $4.5 billion long-range radar system for the UAE to improve its ability to track ballistic missile threats.
Additional approvals for the UAE include:
- $2.1 billion for systems to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)
- $1.22 billion for advanced air-to-air missiles
- $644 million for munitions and upgrades for F-16 fighter jets
The arms deal comes amid intensified hostilities following a U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone strikes across several Gulf energy facilities.
The conflict has heightened security concerns across the Middle East, with nations in the region seeking to strengthen their defence capabilities against evolving threats.
