US approves missile defence system sale to Saudi Arabia

The Trump administration has agreed to allow Saudi Arabia to acquire a sophisticated missile defence system. The completion of a deal to allow the kingdom to spend up to $15 billion (Dh55 billion) for an anti-ballistic missile system made by Lockheed Martin Corp. was confirmed by a State Department official on Wednesday night, hours after a bipartisan group of senators demanded stronger action against the Saudis for its role in the Yemen war.

The final arms agreement — which completed the sale of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, launchers, missiles and other equipment — was signed earlier this week, according to the State Department official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the matter.

The official argued that deployment of the Thaad system in Saudi Arabia would bolster US security against the threat of Iranian extremist groups.

Trump has repeatedly ruled out cutting off arms sales to Saudi Arabia as punishment for murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, arguing that the kingdom would simply purchase weapons from other nations.

Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom’s leadership and a columnist for the Washington Post, was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in early October.