Washington Approves $1.96bn Arms Package for Riyadh Amid Gulf Tensions
The proposed sale includes up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, coinciding with escalating hostilities between Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi forces, and a broader breakdown in US-Iran ceasefire negotiations.
The US Department of State has approved a potential $1.96bn foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia, designating BAE Systems as the principal contractor for the transaction. Announced on Wednesday, the agreement is designed to enhance the Kingdom’s air defence infrastructure, specifically through the provision of up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) and their associated warheads.
In a statement regarding the approval, the State Department emphasised that the sale supports the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Officials described Saudi Arabia as a Major non-NATO Ally and a stabilising force for political and economic progress in the Gulf Region. The department stated the transaction would improve interoperability with US, regional, and NATO forces while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s capacity to deter future threats.
The APKWS, which the US Navy describes as a cost-effective method for destroying targets with limited collateral damage in close combat, are central to this package. The State Department noted that the sale would bolster Saudi homeland defence capabilities without adversely impacting US defence readiness.
The approval arrives against a backdrop of intensifying regional instability. On Monday, Saudi Arabia fired missiles at an airport in the southern city of Abha, escalating tensions with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi forces. This action followed air strikes on Sanaa airport that diverted a flight carrying a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of the Iranian supreme leader, an incident the Houthis blamed on Riyadh.
Tensions have further heightened following the breakdown of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has seen the imposition of a US naval blockade and an increase in military attacks. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned on Thursday that all Saudi oil and vital facilities would be targeted if Riyadh engages in what he termed "comprehensive aggression" against Yemen. The sale is currently classified as potential and proposed, pending final procedural steps before delivery.
