US approves nearly $2bn in weapons sale to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department has approved a potential $1.96bn weapons sale to Saudi Arabia to bolster its air defenses as the US-Israel war on Iran ramps up. The principal contractor is BAE Systems, and the weapons include up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems. The approval comes as Saudi Arabia edges closer to renewed war with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis after a missile attack on Abha airport. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi threatened to target Saudi oil facilities if Riyadh moves towards escalation.