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US Approves $24.3bn Sale of 48 F-35 Jets to Saudi Arabia

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The Trump administration has asked Congress to clear a $24.3bn sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia amid its war with Yemen's Houthis.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has requested that Congress approve the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a deal valued at roughly $24.3bn. The State Department announced the request on Thursday, describing the aircraft as the most advanced fighters in the American arsenal.

In its statement, the department said the transaction would advance Washington's foreign policy and national security goals by strengthening the defenses of a major non-NATO partner it called a stabilising force for politics and the economy across the Gulf. Officials added that the transfer would leave the region's military balance unchanged, echoing a long-held American commitment to preserving Israel's qualitative edge over any potential adversary.

The request still requires the approval of lawmakers before it can proceed. It arrives at a moment of escalating conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in neighbouring Yemen, where Riyadh has been pressing Washington for greater involvement.

Houthi claim over Marib

One day before the announcement, on Wednesday, the Houthis said they had brought down a Saudi F-15 fighter over Marib, a city central to the fight between the group and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The Houthis distributed footage showing fighters standing near the smouldering remains of what looked like an American-built F-15 bearing Saudi markings.

According to the group, the aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile it described as locally produced. If confirmed, such a capability would represent a significant shift in the Houthis' capacity to fight in the region. Saudi forces have so far held broad control of the skies over Yemen and have leaned heavily on air strikes across the border.

Fighting between the two sides grew more intense on Thursday, with reports of at least five people killed, among them three children.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly asked the United States to take a more hands-on role in its campaign against the Houthis, but those requests have gone unmet. Washington has stated that it will not directly enter the fight involving the Iran-backed Houthis, Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government backed by the kingdom.

Espionage worries and congressional pushback

The proposed sale carries security concerns of its own. Washington fears the jets could expose sensitive technology to Chinese espionage. The New York Times reported this week that American intelligence analysts have flagged the risk that Beijing might gain access to F-35 systems through its ties with Riyadh.

That prospect has already drawn opposition on Capitol Hill. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, argued that the deal should not move forward while intelligence agencies warn it could place what he called the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party.

Saudi Arabia has pursued the F-35 for years. Israel, the only nation in the region currently operating the jet, has raised objections to selling it to Riyadh, even as efforts continue to encourage the kingdom to normalise relations with the Israeli government.

Riyadh has also been building defense ties beyond Washington. Last month it signed a mutual defense pact known as the Mecca Agreement with Pakistan and Turkiye, an indication that the countries are looking to secure their own arrangements with less reliance on the United States.

Turkiye offers a cautionary example for aspiring F-35 buyers. A NATO member that helped develop the aircraft in a multinational programme, it has been shut out from receiving the jet since 2019, after it acquired anti-aircraft missiles.

F-35 Saudi Arabia, Trump arms sale, Saudi Arabia Houthis, F-35 fighter jets, US Saudi defense deal, Yemen war, Congress arms sale, Middle East arms

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