With peace talks between the United States and Iran stuck in neutral and a fragile cease-fire hanging in the balance, the Trump administration moved Friday to restock its Middle East partners with billions of dollars worth of weapons, bypassing Congress to do it.
The State Departmentannounceda series of emergency arms sales totalling more than $8.6 billion, covering Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Secretary of StateMarco Rubiosigned off on the deals under an emergency provision that allows for the immediate transfer of weapons without going through the standard congressional review process. It is the third time the current administration has used that authority since the war with Iran began.
Qatar is the largest single recipient, agreeing to pay more than $4 billion for American-made Patriot missile interceptors, a system that has been in heavy demand since the conflict with Iran began draining global stockpiles. Kuwait is purchasing an advanced aerial defense system valued at around $2.5 billion.
Israel, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will each receive an Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, a platform that fires laser-guided rockets with high accuracy. All three Gulf nations sustained repeated waves of Iranian drones and ballistic missiles during the war, making air defense replenishment a pressing priority.
Democratic lawmakers pushed back on the decision, as they have on previous occasions when the administration used the same provision. Critics have argued that bypassing Congress on arms sales of this scale undermines legislative oversight, particularly during an active conflict where the ultimate shape of any peace settlement remains unclear.
Trump said Friday he was not satisfied with Iran's latest proposal, speaking just hours after Iranian state media reported that negotiators had submitted an offer. He has repeatedly threatened to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure, including power plants, if Tehran does not meet his conditions. Legal experts have described potential strikes of that nature as war crimes, as per a report from the New York Times.
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz adds another layer of tension. Iran has blocked Western shipping from passing through the critical waterway, rattling energy markets globally, while the US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports. On Saturday, an Iranian general said through state media that a return to full-scale war remained a possibility.
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