Amid widening Gulf war, US approves $24 billion sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia

The US has cleared the way for a potential 24.3 billion dollar sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, giving Riyadh a shot at acquiring one of the world's most advanced combat aircraft at a moment when the kingdom is being pulled deeper into a widening Middle East war.

The US State Department approved the possible sale of 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II jets, along with 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications equipment, spare parts and other support. The notification to Congress marks a major step in the process, but it is not itself a completed sale.

The timing is striking. Saudi Arabia is facing an intensifying confrontation with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, while the wider war has disrupted shipping and energy flows around the Gulf and Red Sea. The Houthis have expanded their hold along Yemen's Red Sea coast and launched missiles and drones towards Saudi territory, while Riyadh has responded with airstrikes.SAUDI ARABIA GETS CLOSER TO F-35

Saudi Arabia has sought the F-35 for years as it looks to modernise its air force and strengthen its ability to respond to regional threats, particularly Iran and its allies. The kingdom already operates a sizeable fleet of US-made aircraft, including Boeing F-15s, alongside European Tornado and Typhoon fighters. Adding the F-35 would nevertheless represent a major upgrade in capability because of the aircraft's stealth design and advanced sensors.

The proposed package is valued at about $24.3 billion and covers two squadrons, or 48 aircraft. The 49 engines in the deal would provide one additional engine beyond the number of aircraft, alongside communications systems, spare parts and other support.

The F-35 has been operated by Israel for about a decade and remains a particularly sensitive weapons system in the Middle East.

Washington has traditionally evaluated major arms sales to Arab states against its commitment to maintaining Israel's "qualitative military edge", a policy intended to ensure that Israel retains military capabilities superior to those of its regional neighbours.

A Saudi acquisition of the F-35 would therefore represent more than another arms sale. It would test how Washington balances its longstanding security relationship with Israel against its increasingly close defence partnership with Riyadh.TIMING COULD NOT BE MORE SENSITIVE

The proposed sale arrives while Saudi Arabia is confronting a rapidly changing security environment.

Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fresh strikes on Thursday. Houthi-controlled television reported Saudi airstrikes in Yemen's Hajjah province near the Red Sea coast and around Taiz further south.

Saudi civil defence said a Yemeni living in Saudi Arabia was killed by debris from a drone intercepted over Taif. Riyadh had previously reported more than 80 people wounded in Houthi attacks.

The Houthis have also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15. The group released video purporting to show wreckage from the aircraft.

The fighting has pushed civilians towards the sea. The International Organisation for Migration says more than 100,000 people have been displaced by the latest fighting, mostly inside Yemen, while others have fled across the Red Sea towards Djibouti.

That escalation has added another layer of danger to an already fragile regional energy system.HOW RIYADH'S F-35 BID GATHERED MOMENTUM

The F-35 request had been under discussion long before the latest escalation.

Saudi Arabia made a direct appeal for the aircraft to President Donald Trump in early 2025. The Biden administration had also explored the possibility of providing F-35s to Riyadh as part of a wider diplomatic package that would have included Saudi normalisation of relations with Israel. Those efforts ultimately stalled.

Trump has since made closer defence ties with Saudi Arabia a priority.

In 2025, Washington agreed to an arms package worth nearly $142 billion with Riyadh, described by the White House as the largest defence cooperation agreement the US had concluded. The proposed F-35 sale would add another major layer to that relationship.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pursued military modernisation alongside his broader Vision 2030 economic programme. Riyadh has also sought to diversify its defence partnerships while retaining its longstanding security relationship with Washington.

The F-35 decision, however, could attract scrutiny in Congress. US lawmakers have previously questioned arms deals with Saudi Arabia, particularly following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Some members remain cautious about expanding military cooperation with Riyadh.ENERGY ROUTES UNDER PRESSURE

The military developments are unfolding against an increasingly complicated energy backdrop.

The war has already disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. At the same time, Houthi advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast have increased the risks around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another major maritime chokepoint.

Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline has also been temporarily knocked offline after an attack that Riyadh blamed on Iran-backed forces in Iraq. The 1,200-kilometre pipeline is particularly important because it allows Saudi Arabia to move oil from the Gulf towards the Red Sea, providing an alternative route when Hormuz is threatened. Reuters reported that the pipeline normally handles about 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil a day.

Oil prices have remained elevated despite easing somewhat on Thursday. Brent crude fell about 2 per cent to around 103 dollars per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate traded near 101 dollars.

That makes Saudi Arabia's air-defence and strike capabilities an increasingly important part of the regional security equation.advertisementCOULD THE F-35 DEAL REDRAW POWER MAP?The F-35 is not simply another fighter aircraft. Its stealth characteristics are designed to reduce detection by enemy radar, while its sensors and networking systems allow it to collect and share battlefield information.

Israel has operated the aircraft for years and has built several squadrons around it. Saudi Arabia becoming the second Middle Eastern country to receive the system would therefore mark a significant change in the region's military landscape.

The State Department, however, has indicated that it does not expect the proposed sale to alter the regional military balance.

Congress will now have an opportunity to scrutinise the proposed transfer.- EndsPublished By: Satyam SinghPublished On: Sep 18, 2026 01:52 IST