US GREENLIGHTS $16.5 BILLION ARMS PACKAGE TO GULF COUNTRIES AS IRAN CONFLICT INTENSIFIES

Fri 20 March 2026:

The United States Department of State has approved a $16.5bn deal for arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan as tensions with Iran continue to intensify.

On Thursday, the State Department explained that $8.4bn worth of arms would go to the United Arab Emirates to pay for drones, missiles, radar systems and F-16 aircraft.

As part of the deal, Washington also approved roughly $8bn for air and missile defence radar systems to Kuwait and an additional $70.5m to Jordan, which would cover aircraft and munition support.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major defense partner,” the State Department said in a statement.

“The UAE is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”

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The statement added that the proposed deal did not require congressional approval, given that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of arms.

The sale comes amid ever-increasing tensions between the US and Iran. The administration of US President Donald Trump joined Israel in attacking Iran on February 28, and the resulting war has prompted fears of a protracted regional conflict.

The war has also caused energy prices around the world to surge.

The US and Israel have attacked Iranian energy facilities, including the oil port Kharg Island, and Iran has responded with threats against energy infrastructure in US allies, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Iran has largely choked off tanker shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas travels.

The latest arms deal comes as the Pentagon seeks more money to fund the war.

The US Department of Defense is seeking an additional $200bn, according to The Associated Press, citing an unnamed senior White House official.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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