Overview

• The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of 2,000 APKWS laser-guided rockets to Saudi Arabia for $100 million, with BAE Systems as the principal contractor.
• The APKWS is a cost-effective, precision-guided weapon designed to target drones and minimize collateral damage.
• The sale supports U.S. foreign policy goals to strengthen Gulf partnerships and counter Iranian influence in the region.
• The deal is pending final negotiations and contract signing, despite receiving State Department approval.
• U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen have intensified, resulting in at least 31 deaths in the past week.