The State Department has approved the sale of high precision weapons in foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia at an estimated cost of $100 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.
Newsweek has contacted the Saudi Defense Ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are key allies, with the kingdom serving as a partner for political stability in the Gulf and Middle East. The U.S. is currently engaged in a military campaign against the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group in Yemen, which Saudi Arabia has been fighting since 2015.
Saudi Arabia’s role gained prominence during Trump’s first and second terms, with the kingdom recently emerging as a U.S. ally and mediator in efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
BAE Systems, Inc./AP
What To Know
Saudi Arabia requested the purchase of 2,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS), according to a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
BAE Systems of Falls Church, VA. was the main contractor, it said. The company describes APKWS as a lightweight, low-cost, laser-guided rocket with a high probability of hitting moving or stationary targets over land or water and designed to minimize collateral damage.
The U.S. Central Military Command (CENTCOM) said U.S. fighter aircraft used APKWS laser-guided 2.75″ rockets to shoot down Iran-backed Houthi one-way attack drones.
While much bigger arms sales have been made to Saudi Arabia, this is the first time that this an advanced precision-guided systems, is being sold, according to Reuters.
In February, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, the Saudi Defense Minister and emphasized the U.S. partnership with Saudi Arabia “matters a great deal.” Hegseth said both countries have worked “to take on terrorism and all its manifestations today, with groups like the Houthis.”
What People Are Saying
Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency: “The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats and give it the ability to precisely engage targets with much less risk of collateral damage than other guided missile systems.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, Saturday: “Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones.”
What Happens Next
The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. is expected to strengthen under Trump. Both countries share concerns about Iran and its proxies, including the Houthis.