US State Dept gives nod to $5bn in potential arms sales for Egypt
Al Jazeera
Huge sale likely to go through despite ongoing concerns over Egyptian government’s human rights breaches,
The United States State Department has approved the potential sale of more than $5bn in arms for Egypt.
The State Department informed Congress on Friday that it had approved the sale of $4.69bn worth of equipment for 555 US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks operated by Egypt, along with $630m in Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and $30m in precision-guided munitions.
In a statement issued that day, it said the sale would support US “foreign policy and national security” by helping to improve the security of a “major” non-NATO ally that had acted as an important strategic partner in the Middle East.
Egypt and the US have worked increasingly closely since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, with Cairo playing a role in negotiating a ceasefire.
