The U.S. State Department Confirms Sale of F-35 Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia

The U.S. State Department, in a new move and considering the escalating tensions in the region, has confirmed the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin to Saudi Arabia. This decision comes as clashes between the Houthis in Yemen and Saudi Arabia are significantly increasing.

Deal Details

According to the State Department, the estimated value of this deal is $24.3 billion, and if approved by Congress, the contract will include 48 F-35 fighter jets, 49 engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, as well as communication equipment, parts, and support services. The request to purchase these fighter jets was directly submitted by Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, in 2025.

Read more: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a candidate for the Turkish presidential election in 2028

Saudi Arabia's Reaction

The Saudi Embassy in Washington welcomed the confirmation of this sale and regarded it as another step towards strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries. In a statement from the embassy, this decision was described as a sign of the strength and stability of the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the U.S., as well as the advancement of military cooperation between the two countries.

This deal, given the geographical position and security conditions of the Middle East, could create significant changes in the military balance of power in the region. Currently, Israel is the only Middle Eastern country that has access to F-35 fighter jets.

Legal and Regulatory Challenges

However, the sale of these fighter jets may face legal hurdles in the U.S. Congress. American lawmakers have expressed serious concerns about expanding military cooperation with Saudi Arabia following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Some members of Congress have voiced strong concerns about evading legal and ethical restrictions in this regard and are seeking to impose more barriers to prevent such transactions.

These developments reflect the complex challenges present in U.S. defense policies in the Middle East and the necessity to maintain Israel's "qualitative military edge" in the midst of this. For this reason, this deal could be a test for Washington's new definition of this edge.

Read more: The U.S. confirmed the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia · Mohammad Gharavi: Hezbollah is not defined solely by its military structure