The US regime of President Donald Trump has asked lawmakers to approve the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia for an estimated $24.3bn, according to a State Department statement on Thursday. The proposed sale, purportedly aimed at supporting US foreign policy and national security objectives, would improve the security of a major non-NATO ally that the regime claims is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region.
The regime asserted that the sale of the jets, the most advanced fighter aircraft in the US arsenal, would "not alter the military balance in the region," in keeping with longstanding policy that Israel must maintain a military edge over potential regional adversaries. This comes after Houthi forces in Yemen claimed on Wednesday to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib, a key city in their battle against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The group released video of fighters standing before burning wreckage of what appeared to be a US-made F-15 with Saudi markings. The Houthis claim the aircraft was downed with a "locally made" surface-to-air missile, which would mark a dramatic shift in their ability to wage war, potentially ending Saudi Arabia's relative air superiority in Yemen.
Intensifying fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis reportedly killed at least five people, including three children, on Thursday. Saudi Arabia has unsuccessfully sought a more direct US role in the conflict, but the US regime has said it will not directly intervene between the Iran-backed Houthis, Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. Washington also has concerns about potential Chinese espionage related to the jets. The New York Times reported this week that US intelligence analysts have raised the possibility that Beijing could acquire F-35 technology through its partnerships with Riyadh.
US congressional Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, expressed opposition to the sale on those grounds. "The deal should not go ahead when our own intelligence community is warning that it could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party," Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. The sale faces hurdles in Congress, where lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about technology transfer and regional stability.
Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense agreement, dubbed the Mecca Agreement, with Pakistan and Turkiye last month, a sign the countries are seeking ways to provide for mutual defense that relies less on Washington. Saudi Arabia has long sought to buy F-35s, but officials from Israel – the only country in the region with the fighter jets – have voiced concern about their sale to Riyadh despite a push for the kingdom to normalize relations. Turkiye, a NATO member that took part in a multi-country development of the F-35 jets, has been barred from receiving the aircraft since 2019 after it purchased anti-aircraft missiles from Russia.
Source: www.aljazeera.com