As Hurricane Milton claims American lives, the U.S. government is making headlines for an entirely different reason abroad. The Pentagon has announced new arms sales agreements to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, totaling a staggering $2.25 billion. This move includes the sale of 220 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Tactical Missiles to Saudi Arabia, worth approximately $251.8 million, alongside significant deals for AGM-114R3 Hellfire II missiles valued at $655 million, and various munitions amounting to $139 million.
Further bolstering military ties, the Pentagon also confirmed a $1.2 billion agreement for 259 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) M31A1 Unitary Pods and 203 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) M57 Unitary Missiles. In recent discussions, U.S. and Saudi leaders explored a security agreement akin to America's treaties with East Asian allies, aiming to facilitate Saudi normalization of relations with Israel.
This flurry of defense commitments highlights the Biden administration’s strategy of strengthening alliances in the Middle East, while potentially diverting public attention from the ongoing domestic emergency caused by Hurricane Milton.
