US sells arms to UAE

Washington: The Trump administration told Congress yesterday it had approved the US sale of more than $US23 billion in advanced weapons systems, including F35 fighter jets and armed drones, to the United Arab Emirates, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

The formal notification followed a USbrokered agreement in September in which the UAE agreed to normalise relations with Israel, becoming the first of three Arab states to make such a move.

‘‘This is in recognition of our deepening relationship and the UAE’s need for advanced defence capabilities to deter and defend itself against heightened threats from Iran,’’ Pompeo said in a statement. — Reuters