US approves nearly $2bn in weapons sale to Saudi Arabia | Weapons News
U.S. Approves $1.96 Billion Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia
16 July 2026
The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential $1.96 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, aimed at enhancing the kingdom’s air defense capabilities amid escalating tensions with Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.
Announced Wednesday, the foreign military sale is expected to support Saudi Arabia’s defense as the conflict involving U.S. and Israeli interests in the region intensifies.
“This proposed sale 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 stated in a release.
The principal contractor for the deal will be BAE Systems. The sale includes up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems and associated warheads, which are described by the U.S. Navy as an effective means to engage targets while minimizing collateral damage in close combat situations.
“The proposed sale will enhance Saudi Arabia’s ability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense and improving interoperability with U.S. and other regional and NATO forces,” the announcement noted.
This arms deal comes as tensions rise between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, following a recent missile attack by the group on an airport in the southern city of Abha. The Houthi strike coincided with airstrikes that targeted Sanaa airport, forcing a flight carrying a Houthi delegation to divert. The Houthis have accused the Saudi government of orchestrating the airstrikes.
On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned that all Saudi oil facilities and other critical infrastructure would be targeted if the kingdom escalates its actions against Yemen, which he referred to as a “comprehensive aggression.”
The announcement also follows a deterioration of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, as U.S. military operations in the region escalate, including the implementation of a naval blockade.
The State Department reassured that the proposed sale will not adversely affect U.S. defense readiness.
