The U.S. State Department announced on May 1 that it has approved military sales totaling over $8.6 billion to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved the expedited arms transfers, bypassing a standard congressional review.
The move is intended to rush air defense missiles and laser guidance systems to the region. These Persian Gulf countries and Israel have faced repeated Iranian attacks during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The announcements come as the war against Iran marks nine weeks since its start. The Trump administration's decision to bypass congressional review follows concerns that the current ceasefire in the conflict is increasingly fragile.