The United States announced on Thursday the approval of arms sales worth over $16 billion to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, citing urgent security concerns.
Since the US and Israel began their offensive against Iran on 28 February, Tehran has retaliated by launching missile and drone strikes on its Gulf neighbours, targeting US interests and civilian industrial infrastructure.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the emergency approvals, stating the sales were essential for national security. The State Department’s decision bypasses the need for Congressional approval.
The largest sale, worth $8 billion to Kuwait, includes advanced radar systems for air defence, designed to detect high-speed targets and share data across missile defence networks.
The UAE will receive a long-range radar system for tracking ballistic missile threats, valued at $4.5 billion.
Other approved items include a $2.1 billion anti-drone system, $1.22 billion worth of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, and $644 million in munitions for F-16 fighter jets.
