On January 30, the US State Department officially announced the approval of a series of new arms deals with a total value of nearly $16 billion for Israel and Saudi Arabia, right in the context of the Middle East heating up every hour before the risk of the US conducting military airstrikes against Iran.
The largest part of this approval belongs to Saudi Arabia with a contract value of up to 9 billion USD. This country will receive 730 Patriot missiles and accompanying support equipment.
The US State Department argues that this deal will support US national security goals by improving the defense capabilities of an important non-NATO ally.
The US considers Saudi Arabia to be the core force for political stability in the Gulf region. These missiles are expected to be integrated into the regional common missile and air defense system.
The agreement was announced immediately after a meeting between Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman and senior officials in the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
For Israel, the US divided the $6.67 billion package into four separate contracts. The most notable is the $3.8 billion deal to supply 30 Apache attack helicopters along with advanced targeting equipment and rocket launchers.
Washington also approved the sale of 3,250 light tactical vehicles for $1.98 billion to expand logistics and military transport capabilities for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The remaining money is used to upgrade engines for armored personnel carriers and purchase light utility helicopters.
The US State Department affirmed that its commitment to supporting Israel in developing strong self-defense capabilities is in the US's national interest. However, the ministry also issued a reassuring statement that "no of these deals change the basic military balance in the region".
This decision faced strong opposition from within the United States. Congressman Gregory Meeks - a senior member of the Democratic Party on the House Foreign Affairs Committee - accused the Trump administration of "burning the stage".
Mr. Meeks said that the White House is rushing to announce agreements to evade Congressional scrutiny and ignore long-standing procedures. He criticized the administration for refusing to discuss with Congress the next steps in Gaza as well as broader policies in US-Israel relations.
Observers believe that this massive "pump" of weapons creates a paradox in President Trump's policy: On the one hand, promoting a ceasefire in Gaza and rebuilding Palestine, on the other hand, equipping heavy weapons for allies, raising concerns about a new arms race in this already very fragile region.
