US seeks congressional approval for $24.3bn sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia

The Trump administration has asked Congress to approve the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, in a deal estimated at $24.3bn. The proposed transfer would give Riyadh access to the United States' most advanced combat aircraft, but it still requires lawmakers' approval before it can proceed. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia continues to seek Washington's support in its war with Yemen's Houthis.

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The State Department said the proposed sale would support US foreign policy and national security objectives by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that it described as a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region. It also said the sale would not alter the military balance in the region, reflecting longstanding US policy that Israel should retain a military edge over potential regional adversaries. The administration's request was made on Thursday, according to the supplied material, and follows a period of renewed fighting in the Yemen conflict.

The timing is notable because the Houthis claimed on Wednesday that they had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib, a key city in the fighting between the group and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The group released video showing fighters standing near burning wreckage of what appeared to be a US-made F-15 with Saudi markings. The Houthis said the aircraft was hit by a locally made surface-to-air missile, a claim that, if accurate, would suggest a significant improvement in their air-defence capability.

The supplied material also says intensifying fighting killed at least five people on Thursday, including three children. The proposed sale matters because it sits at the intersection of regional security, US defence policy and the Yemen war. Saudi Arabia has relied heavily on air power in the conflict, and the supplied material says its military has enjoyed relative air superiority until now.

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A sale of this scale would deepen the kingdom's dependence on US military equipment while also raising questions in Washington about technology transfer and the strategic balance in the Gulf. There are also wider concerns in the US about the security of the F-35 programme itself. The supplied material says Washington has worries about possible Chinese espionage, and that US intelligence analysts have raised the possibility that Beijing could gain access to F-35 technology through its partnerships with Riyadh.

A Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, Raja Krishnamoorthi, has publicly opposed the sale on those grounds. At the same time, Saudi Arabia has reportedly sought a more direct US role in its conflict with Houthi forces, but Washington has said it will not directly intervene. What happens next depends on Congress, which must decide whether to clear the sale.

It is not yet clear how much support the proposal will have among lawmakers, or whether concerns about regional escalation and technology security will slow the process. The situation in Yemen also remains fluid, with the latest fighting and the Houthi claim over Marib adding pressure to an already sensitive decision. Further statements from US officials and congressional leaders will be watched closely.

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