On Thursday, the United States announced the authorization of $16.46 billion in military sales to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, two Gulf nations significantly impacted by the ongoing conflict with Iran.

These moves come after Iran retaliated against a large-scale US-Israeli air campaign launched late last month, launching missiles and drones that have inflicted casualties and damage across several Gulf states. The attacks have forced these countries to commit substantial military resources to counter the threat.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he had “determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists requiring the immediate sale” of the military equipment, allowing the transactions to proceed without prior congressional approval.

The largest portion of the sale, valued at $8 billion, involves lower-tier air and missile defense sensor radars designed to track high-speed targets and provide data to integrated missile defense networks, according to a State Department statement.

The second-largest sale, amounting to $4.5 billion, is to the UAE for a long-range discrimination radar capable of detecting ballistic missile threats, along with associated equipment. Additionally, the UAE received clearance to purchase systems to counter small unmanned aircraft for $2.1 billion, advanced air-to-air missiles for $1.22 billion, and upgrades and munitions for F-16 fighter jets totaling $644 million.