US approves billions in arms sales to Middle East countries

March 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Thursday approved potential arms sales to three Middle East countries worth more than $16.5 billion as the war with Iran intensifies.

The State Department approved the potential sale of missiles, drones, radar systems and F-16 munitions and upgrades to the United Arab Emirates for a combined total of more than $8.4 billion, it said in statements.

Also approved were possible sales of lower-tier air and missile defense sensor radars to Kuwait for an estimated cost of $8 billion and aircraft and munitions support to Jordan for an estimated cost of $70.5 million.

The sales follow Iran's attacks on energy infrastructure in response to Israeli attacks on its gas facilities, which marked the biggest escalation of the nearly three-week war, causing gas prices to surge and oil prices to rise further.

The State Department said the principal contractors in the sales will include RTX Corporation RTX.N, Northrop Grumman NOC.N and Lockheed Martin Corporation LMT.N.