The Trump administration has approved the sale of advanced air defense missiles and related military services worth about $17.1 billion to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, even as U.S. missile stockpiles decline due to the ongoing Iran war. The U.S. State Department formally notified Congress of the deal last Friday but did not publicly announce it that day. The total approved arms sales reached $25.7 billion, with $8.64 billion in new emergency sales and the remainder expanding previous agreements.

The package extends earlier deals from 2019 and 2024 and includes Patriot interceptor missiles valued at roughly $4 million each. Kuwait’s share amounts to $9.3 billion, the UAE’s to $6.25 billion, and Bahrain’s to $1.625 billion. Meanwhile, Qatar has placed an additional $4 billion order for about 1,000 Patriot missiles. Since the Iran conflict began in late February, the U.S. has used over 1,300 interceptors, while Gulf partners have launched about 600.

Pentagon officials warn that rising foreign sales could strain U.S. readiness, as current production exceeds only 600 interceptors annually. Critics in Congress argue the administration is bypassing oversight by invoking emergency powers for rapid arms transfers.