The US State Department has approved the proposed sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia for an estimated cost of $24.3 billion.
The sale, which still requires the approval of Congress, will "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-Nato ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region", the State Department said in a statement on Thursday.
It will “not alter the military balance" in the Middle East, the administration of President Donald Trump said, referring to a long-standing US policy that ensures Israel has a military advantage in the region.
Saudi Arabia said the proposed sale reflected the "strength and enduring nature" of its relationship with the US and existing defence partnerships. "For decades, Saudi-US security co-operation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective defence capabilities and advanced our shared security interests," the Saudi embassy in Washington said on X.
Saudi Arabia has long sought to buy F-35 jets, the most advanced US fighter aircraft. But Israel, the only country in the region to possess the jets, opposed their sale to the kingdom despite a push for the two countries to establish relations. Israel has not yet responded to the State Department announcement.
News of the deal comes 10 months after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Washington, where Mr Trump initially said the US would allow the sale, while emphasising that Saudi Arabia is a major non-Nato ally.
Saudi Arabia is engaged in a conflict with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, with the group launching several attacks on the kingdom in recent weeks. They have also seized Yemen's entire western coast, giving them unprecedented access to the Red Sea and Bab Al Mandeb strait.
The Houthis had reportedly been communicating with US officials to assure Washington that their latest advancements would not lead to attacks on American ships.
