U.S. approves arms sales to 3 Mideast allies amid conflict with Iran

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of State on Thursday approved potential arms sales worth billions of U.S. dollars in total to three of its allies in the Middle East as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran is escalating.

The department said in a number of statements that to the United Arab Emirates, Washington would sell Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System and related equipment for an estimated total cost of 2.1 billion dollars, Long-Range Discrimination Radar with Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Integration and related equipment for an estimated cost of 4.5 billion dollars, F-16 munitions and upgrades worth 644 million dollars, and Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of 1.22 billion dollars.

In notices sent to Congress, the State Department said the United States would also sell Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor Radars for an estimated cost of 8 billion dollars to Kuwait, as well as aircraft and munitions support and related equipment for an estimated cost of 70.5 million dollars to Jordan.

In early March, the State Department made an emergency determination to bypass the U.S. Congress and immediately sell 12,000 bombs to Israel.

The United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, disrupting global shipping, sending oil prices soaring and shaking the global economy.