US Approves $8.6 Billion Arms Sales to Middle East Allies, Bypassing Congress

The United States has approved $8.6 billion in arms sales to key Middle Eastern allies, bypassing congressional review. The deals include weapons and military systems for Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

According to a report by Reuters published on Friday, the US State Department said the approval was granted under emergency provisions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the decision was made due to urgent security needs, allowing the administration to waive the usual requirement for congressional oversight.

The decision comes about nine weeks after the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, and more than three weeks into a fragile ceasefire currently in place in the region.

Under the approved deals, Qatar will receive $4.01 billion worth of maintenance services for Patriot air and missile defense systems, along with $992.4 million in Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS). Kuwait has been approved to purchase an integrated battle command system worth $2.5 billion.

Israel will receive $992.4 million worth of APKWS, while the United Arab Emirates has been approved to buy $147.6 million worth of the same system.

The State Department said that BAE Systems will serve as the primary contractor for APKWS sales to Qatar, Israel, and the UAE. Meanwhile, RTX Corporation and Lockheed Martin will lead contracts related to Patriot systems and Kuwait’s battle command system, with Northrop Grumman also involved in the Kuwait deal.

The US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting Israel and countries hosting US bases in the Gulf region. The escalation, along with Israeli operations in Lebanon, has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of large populations.

Washington has faced longstanding criticism over its military ties with Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar. Human rights groups have raised concerns about restrictions and alleged abuses involving minorities, journalists, dissidents, LGBTQ individuals, and migrant workers in these countries. The governments concerned have denied such allegations.

US support for Israel has also drawn criticism, particularly over its military campaign in Gaza. The conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths, widespread food shortages, and allegations of genocide by some researchers and a United Nations inquiry.

Israel maintains that its actions are in self-defense following a Hamas-led attack in October 2023 that killed around 1,200 people. The United States has reiterated its continued support for its regional allies.