U.S. approves $15.7 billion arms sales for Israel and Saudi Arabia amid shutdown talks

U.S. approves 15.7 billion arms sales for Israel and Saudi Arabia amid shutdown talks

On January 31, 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense and State Department approved a set of proposed arms sales totalling $15.7 billion for Saudi Arabia and Israel. The announcement came as the U.S. federal government neared a potential shutdown due to congressional disagreements over funding legislation. The proposed arms sales were formally notified to Congress according to procedures required under the Arms Export Control Act.

The package included separate sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia. For Israel, the approved sales consisted primarily of advanced military equipment, including attack helicopters, vehicles, and other defense systems. For Saudi Arabia, the sales included missile defense systems and related military hardware. The approvals took place while lawmakers were negotiating federal government funding bills that had temporarily lapsed, resulting in a short‑term partial shutdown before funding was reinstated.

Federal law requires that major foreign military sales be notified to Congress with an opportunity for lawmakers to review and potentially block the deals. These notifications were submitted in the context of broader U.S. foreign policy and budget negotiations, as senior U.S. officials cited strategic security interests in the Middle East as the basis for moving forward with the sales.