The United States has approved military sales worth more than $8.6 billion to key West Asian allies, including Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, in a major defence move amid rising west-asia conflicts.
According to reports by Al Jazeera, US President Donald Trump administration bypassed the usual Congressional review process for the arms sales after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that an emergency existed requiring immediate approval. The State Department announcements came as the US-Israel conflict with Iran entered its ninth week, while a fragile ceasefire has been in place for more than three weeks.
The approved packages include $4.01 billion in Patriot air and missile defence replenishment services for Qatar, along with $992.4 million worth of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, or APKWS, for the country. Kuwait is set to receive an integrated battle command system valued at $2.5 billion. Israel has also been approved for APKWS worth $992.4 million, while the UAE will receive APKWS systems estimated at $147.6 million.
The principal contractors named in the deals include major defence firms such as BAE Systems, RTX, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. BAE Systems is associated with the APKWS packages for Qatar, Israel and the UAE, while RTX and Lockheed Martin are linked to Qatar’s Patriot missile defence replenishment and Kuwait’s battle command system. Northrop Grumman is also listed as a principal contractor for the Kuwait sale.
The move comes at a sensitive time for West Asia. The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026, after which Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. The conflict has caused widespread casualties and displacement, while Washington has continued to strengthen military support for its allies in the region.
The decision is likely to draw further scrutiny from lawmakers and rights groups, as Washington has faced criticism in recent years over arms transfers to Gulf nations and continued military support for Israel. The US, however, maintains that the sales are necessary to support regional security and strengthen the defence capabilities of its partners.
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Sources:
- Reuters
- Al Jazeera