Saudi Embassy Welcomes Sale of 48 F-35 Jets: $24.3 Billion Deal Approved by State Department

The Saudi Arabian embassy in the United States welcomed the proposed sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to the Kingdom, valued at about $24.3 billion, after the U.S. State Department approved it.

According to the State Department, the sale aims to improve security for “a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region.”

“For decades, U.S.–Saudi security cooperation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our shared defense capabilities and advanced our shared security interests,” the embassy said in a post on the X platform.

The deal comes as Iran-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are escalating and Washington is bolstering military support for Gulf allies, against the backdrop of the ongoing war with Iran.

Source: Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/9/18/iran-war-live-trump-weighs-big-decision-on-iran-tanker-hit-in-hormuz