The State Department late last week approved arms sales worth more than $8 billion to key U.S. partners across the Middle East.
The major arms sales to Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates underscore the changing geopolitical and military dynamics across the region, where the U.S.-Iran war is pushing some key Gulf players closer to Washington while isolating Tehran from its neighbors.
The largest foreign military sale was $4 billion worth of Patriot Missile Defense battery replenishment and related equipment to Qatar, home to America’s Al Udeid Air Base. The U.S. also will sell the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System to Qatar for $992 million, the State Department said.
Qatar is one of the many Gulf states that has come under attack by Iran over the past two months. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz also is impacting the economies and energy exports of those countries.
The U.S. also will sell to Kuwait the Integrated Battle Command System and related equipment, the State Department said, worth $2.5 billion.
As part of the $8 billion package, the U.S. also will sell weapons and other military equipment to Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
All of those nations are key U.S. partners in the region. Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE host American military installations.
