00:02A massive new American weapons package for Saudi Arabia, worth an estimated $5 billion,
00:10has been approved by the U.S. State Department as the Iran war continues to shake the region.
00:16The proposed foreign military sale includes more than 10,000 precision guidance kits and
00:22an equal number of bomb bodies.
00:23Washington says the package is designed to strengthen Saudi Arabia's airborne and homeland
00:29defenses against current and future regional threats.
00:33But the timing is raising the stakes.
00:36Saudi Arabia has faced repeated missile and drone attacks linked to the wider conflict
00:41with Iran, including strikes attributed to Iranian forces and Tehran-backed Houthi rebels
00:47in Yemen.
00:48Now, Riyadh is preparing to replenish and expand its precision strike capabilities as
00:54the regional war continues.
00:56At the center of the package are more than 10,000 Joint Direct Attacked Munition Extended
01:02Range Guidance Kits.
01:04These systems can transform conventional bombs into GPS-guided precision weapons.
01:09The proposed sale includes 5,004 KMU-572 guidance kits paired with 5,004 BLU-111 500-pound bombs.
01:21It also includes another 5,000 KMU-556 kits paired with 5,000 BLU-117 2,000-pound bombs.
01:32The package also includes fuses, target detectors, containers, spare parts, and logistical support.
01:39And the principal contractor is Boeing.
01:42The State Department says the sale is about defense, not changing the balance of power in
01:47the Middle East.
01:48Washington says the weapons would improve Saudi Arabia's ability to defend its airspace and
01:53territory against regional threats.
01:55The package is also intended to improve interoperability between Saudi forces, the U.S. military, and
02:02other Gulf partners.
02:04Saudi Arabia is designated a major non-NATO ally by Washington.
02:09U.S. officials say the proposed transfer would not undermine American military readiness.
02:15But the strategic timing is difficult to ignore.
02:19The Iran war has consumed huge quantities of precision-guided munitions.
02:23Since the United States and Israel launched their campaign against Iran earlier this year,
02:30Saudi Arabia has faced repeated missile and drone threats.
02:33Some attacks have been attributed to Iranian forces.
02:37Others have been linked to the Houthis in Yemen, who are backed by Tehran.
02:41The attacks have added another dangerous dimension to a conflict already stretching across the Middle
02:47East.
02:48And now, Washington is supplying Riyadh with the tools to respond.
02:52The proposed weapons package would significantly expand the Royal Saudi Air Force's precision
02:59strike inventory if approved and delivered.
03:02The bomb package is not the only military deal Washington approved for Saudi.
03:07On the same day, the United States also cleared a separate potential sale worth approximately
03:13$750 million.
03:16That package involves AGT-1500 tank engines for Saudi.
03:22Together, the two proposed deals represent a major expansion of American military support
03:27for the kingdom.
03:28But the $5 billion bomb package is the headline figure.
03:32If Congress allows the deal to proceed, Saudi Arabia would gain thousands of additional
03:38precision-guided weapons and the systems required to employ them.
03:42Now the proposed bomb sale moves to Capitol Hill.
03:46The State Department has formally notified Congress, giving lawmakers an opportunity to
03:51review the transfer.
03:53Congressional approval is still required before the deal can be completed.
03:56And the debate is likely to focus on the timing, scale, and strategic consequences of the package.
04:02The proposed $5 billion bomb sale comes at a moment when the Middle East remains on edge.
04:09Iran is facing sustained military pressure.
04:13Saudi Arabia is confronting missile and drone threats.
04:16And Gulf states are increasingly worried that the war could spread beyond Iran's borders.
04:22Against that backdrop, Washington's decision to approve thousands of precision-guided bombs
04:28for Riyadh carries significance far beyond the price tag.
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