US approves $2.5bn in new arms packages for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait amid aggression against Iran

The United States has approved nearly $2.5 billion in new arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as it presses ahead with its military aggression against Iran, reinforcing Washington's expanding military footprint in the Persian Gulf under the guise of strengthening regional security.

The US Department of State announced in a statement on Wednesday that it approved a potential $1.96 billion sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS-II) to Saudi Arabia.

The sale includes up to 20,000 precision-guidance sections for air-to-air and air-to-ground rockets, along with launchers, warheads, rocket motors, training, logistical support, and other military equipment, it added.

Washington claimed the deal would “support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States” by enhancing the security of “a Major non-NATO Ally” and strengthening interoperability with US and NATO forces, while claiming it “will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with US forces, and other regional and NATO forces. The proposed sale will also augment Saudi Arabia’s operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air, and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces,” the State Department said in the statement.

The package will be supplied by BAE Systems and would involve deploying additional US government and contractor personnel to the Arab kingdom.

IRGC pounds US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, warns oil exports at risk

The IRGC says it has launched the third wave of Operation Nasr-2 against US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for renewed US aggression against Iranian coastal military positions.

In a separate move, the State Department also authorized a $484 million military package for Kuwait to sustain its fleet of C-17 transport aircraft, including aircraft modifications, spare parts, communications equipment, software, logistics support, training, and jet fuel.

The department said Kuwait’s C-17 fleet “directly support[s] US and coalition operations around the world,” underscoring the aircraft’s role in Washington’s warmongering actions.

“The proposed sale will improve Kuwait’s capability to meet current and future threats by ensuring the operational readiness of its C-17 fleet. Kuwait’s C-17 fleet provides strategic airlift capabilities that directly support U.S. and coalition operations around the world. Kuwait will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” the State Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

The contract will be carried out by Boeing, with US officials again claiming the sale would not affect the regional military balance.

The approvals come as Washington expands arms transfers and military cooperation across the Persian Gulf while renewing its illegal war against Iran, with Iraqi media, citing footage, reporting that Kuwait had joined the US war effort by launching missiles from its territory toward Iran.

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