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WorldQuiet 3d · day 7

US clears $24.3bn F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia; Israel and China fears surface

State Department notifies Congress of a first-ever sale of 48 F-35 jets to Riyadh, prompting Israeli demands for compensation and Democratic warnings over Chinese access to stealth technology.

What to know

  • The $24.3 billion deal for 48 F-35s would be Saudi Arabia's first-ever purchase of the jet and put it on par with Israel's current fleet, ending decades of US policy preserving Israel's regional exclusivity on the aircraft.
  • Congress has 30 days to scrutinise or block the sale; Democratic lawmakers including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi cite intelligence warnings that China could access F-35 technology via Saudi Arabia's security ties with Beijing.
  • Israel, which had pushed to link any sale to Saudi-Israel normalization, is reportedly seeking 'compensation' in the form of weapons the US had previously withheld.
  • The deal comes as Saudi Arabia is drawn deeper into conflict with Yemen's Houthis, who claim to have shot down a Saudi F-15, and as MBS has pressed Trump for more direct US military involvement, which Trump has so far declined.

“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the military balance in the region”

US State Department, Executive branch agency · BBC News ↗ · Sep 20

Donald TrumpDonald Trump US PresidentMohammed bin SalmanMohammed bin Salman Saudi Crown PrinceRaja KrishnamoorthiRaja Krishnamoorthi US Representative, House Intelligence CommitteeUS State Department Executive branch agencyIsraeli government/officials US ally with historic F-35 exclusivity in the regionHouthis Iran-backed armed group in Yemen

US clears $24.3bn F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia; Israel and China fears surface
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 6 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments

Peak 24 pieces in two hours at Sep 17, 2 PM; 149 pieces over 7 days (111 articles · 1 video · 32 posts · 5 comments) Sep 16, 10 PM — 5 pieces · 5 articles — Google News 5Sep 17, 12 AM — quietSep 17, 2 AM — quietSep 17, 4 AM — quietSep 17, 6 AM — quietSep 17, 8 AM — quietSep 17, 10 AM — 15 pieces · 15 articles — Newswires 15Sep 17, 12 PM — 16 pieces · 16 articles — Newswires 9, Google News 7Sep 17, 2 PM — 24 pieces · 20 articles · 4 posts — Google News 12, Newswires 8, X 2, +2 moreSep 17, 4 PM — 11 pieces · 8 articles · 3 posts — Newswires 7, Mastodon 3, X 1Sep 17, 6 PM — 4 pieces · 3 articles · 1 post — Newswires 3, Mastodon 1Sep 17, 8 PM — 18 pieces · 15 articles · 3 posts — Newswires 12, Mastodon 4, Google News 2Sep 17, 10 PM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Sep 18, 12 AM — 8 pieces · 5 articles · 3 posts — Newswires 5, Mastodon 3Sep 18, 2 AM — 7 pieces · 2 articles · 4 posts · 1 comment — Mastodon 3, Newswires 2, Reddit 2Sep 18, 4 AM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts — Mastodon 1, Reddit 1, Newswires 1Sep 18, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 18, 8 AM — 5 pieces · 3 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 3, Mastodon 2Sep 18, 10 AM — 10 pieces · 9 articles · 1 comment — Newswires 9, Reddit 1Sep 18, 12 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Bluesky 1, Newswires 1Sep 18, 2 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 video — YouTube 1Sep 18, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Sep 18, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 12 AM — 2 pieces · 1 post · 1 comment — Mastodon 1, Reddit 1Sep 19, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 19, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 19, 6 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 12 PM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 6 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 20, 12 AM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Sep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Sep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quiet 123456
Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 9:55 AM ET
  1. 6

    Deal enters 30-day congressional review amid continued scrutiny

    With Congress given 30 days to scrutinise or attempt to block the sale, reporting continued to frame the deal as controversial, citing concerns from Democratic lawmakers, defense officials and Israel over regional balance and Chinese access to stealth technology.

    1. first by Mastodon, 4d ago · also BBC Middle East, BBC

    • This is a huge strategic blunder. Trump seems to have little understanding of the geopolitical risks involved, probably because he views everything through the lens of a businessman. If Xi eventually gets access to these technologies and uses them against the United States, Trump won’t be the one paying the price for the consequences.

      Kindly-Dragonfly1683r/geopolitics2d agoview on r/geopolitics ↗
  2. 1 day quiet
  3. 5

    AnalysisUS advances deal despite Israeli normalization push

    The Jerusalem Post reported that Washington advanced the potential sale even as Israeli officials had sought to tie any F-35 sale to Saudi-Israel normalization, a diplomatic condition that has not been met.

    “it could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party…”
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, US Representative · source
    1. 1 outlet first by Jerusalem Post, 4d ago · read ↗

    • AntiracistHippie@heads.social

      NOW ON VERDANT SQUARE RADIO == NOW PLAYING == Reuters World News: Why is Trump banning CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House? | Reuters World News https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Tjxd4Yfurg A#vsn # radio # news # reuters # DiverseSpectrumOfTheLeft # SupportIndependentMedia # Resist https:// mastodon.social/@VerdantSquare…

      AntiracistHippie@heads.socialMastodon5d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 4 posts in this stretch
    • And if they are struck with overwhelming force, we hear you—and others—crying out about civilian casualties; it’s a case of "damned if you do and damned if you don't." Saudi Arabia is not Israel—which strikes anything that moves, whether animal, human, or inanimate object; Saudi Arabia is a state that respects laws and humanitarian covenants.

      Abdulkarim0r/geopolitics5d agoview on r/geopolitics ↗
    • VerdantSquareRadio@mastodon.social

      NOW PLAYING == Reuters World News: Why is Trump banning CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House? | Reuters World News https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Tjxd4YfurgA # vsn # radio # news # reuters # DiverseSpectrumOfTheLeft # SupportIndependentMedia # Resist

      VerdantSquareRadio@mastodon.socialMastodon5d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  4. 4

    Israel reportedly seeks 'compensation' arms from Washington

    Israeli media reported that Israel would seek to purchase weapons systems the US had previously declined to sell, in response to the Saudi F-35 deal, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Hebrew outlet Walla.

    1. first by Scripps News, 5d ago · also Stars & Stripes, France 24, France 24 EN, Quartz, Agence France-Presse, Dawn +2

      4 more headlines
    2. 2 outlets first by ZeroHedge, 5d ago · also Anadolu Agency · read ↗

    1 more claim →
    • ewong.bsky.social

      Trump pushes ahead with a sale to Saudi Arabia of 48 F-35 fighter jets. The State Dept. announcement came one day after we reported that US intel agencies had warned about China possibly acquiring F-35 tech from Saudi Arabia. Gift link to @nytimes.com story:

      ewong.bsky.socialBluesky5d ago120▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
    • If Israel doesn't have a non-nuclear qualitative advantage, it has no reason not to nuke everyone that threatens their existence.

      LoginIsRequiredNowr/worldnews5d agoview on r/worldnews ↗
    • Getting an F-15 shot down is a pilot skill issue when you’re talking about the Houthis as the defender

      InNominePastar/geopolitics5d agoview on r/geopolitics ↗
    all of them →
  5. 3

    Rep. Krishnamoorthi opposes the sale over China risk

    Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a House Intelligence Committee member, publicly opposed the sale, arguing it endangers sensitive US military technology given intelligence community warnings about China.

    • GeoWire@mastodon.social

      🔴 BREAKING US Approves $24.3 Billion F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia The United States has approved a $24.3 billion arms deal for 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The sale faces opposition from Israel, which has previously voiced concerns regarding Riyadh acquiring advanced US weaponry despite ongoing... 📰 https://www…

      GeoWire@mastodon.socialMastodon6d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
    • The US will sell 48 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, despite reports that China could steal the warplane’s technology. The deal, valued at $24.3bn (£18.2bn), was agreed last November when Donald Trump met Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto leader, in the White House. Multiple reports from intelligence analysts…

      TheTelegraphr/geopolitics6d agoview on r/geopolitics ↗
    • Gerd_Brodowski@mastodon.social

      # usa # saudiarabia # israel : # usforeignpolicy / # armssale / # f35 / middleeast (Arms race - let‘s go!) The United States has approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Thursday (…). The F-35 sale "will not alter the # militarybalance in the region," the State Department said, in…

      Gerd_Brodowski@mastodon.socialMastodon6d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  6. 2

    State Department notifies Congress of $24.3bn F-35 sale

    The State Department formally approved the potential sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II jets, 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications gear, spare parts and support to Saudi Arabia for an estimated $24.3 billion, its first-ever F-35 sale to the kingdom.

    “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region.”
    — US State Department
    1. first by KRDO, 6d ago · also The Aviationist, Investing.com News, Investing.com India, Al-Monitor, Reuters, The Times of Israel +16

      19 more headlines
    2. first by Middle East Eye, 6d ago · also Times of Israel, Hindustan Times, CNN, KTVZ-TV, The National UAE, France 24 EN +3

      7 more headlines
    3 more claims →
    • 🇺🇸🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia is getting the jet Washington swore only Israel could fly in the Middle East. The State Department has approved a possible $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35s to the kingdom, its first ever, along with 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, comms gear, spare parts and support,

      @MarioNawfalX6d ago14▲view on X ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 3 posts in this stretch
    • 🇺🇸🇸🇦🇨🇳 The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $24 billion sale of 48 F-35s to Saudi Arabia, although congressional approval remains another hurdle. Brandon Weichert rejects the argument that the sale should be blocked primarily because China could gain access to F-35

      @MarioNawfalX6d ago8▲view on X ↗
    all of them →
  7. 1

    Houthis claim downing a Saudi F-15 over Marib

    The Houthis said they shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib with a 'locally made' surface-to-air missile, releasing video of burning wreckage, amid intensifying fighting that reportedly killed at least five people including three children.

  8. background

    NYT reveals US intelligence warnings over China and F-35 tech — The New York Times reported that US intelligence analysts had raised in internal reports the possibility that China could acquire or steal F-35 technology through Saudi Arabia's security partnership with Beijing, one day before the State Department's formal announcement.

  9. background

    Trump and MBS agree the deal during White House visit — According to reporting cited in discussion, the F-35 deal was agreed when Trump met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House last November, building on the two leaders' close relationship.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. first by Mastodon, 6d ago · also Seeking Alpha, NYT Middle East, NYT, NYT Asia Pacific

    1 more headline
  2. first by Politico, 6d ago · also Bloomberg Markets, Bloomberg

    1 more headline
  3. first by The Washington Sun, 5d ago · also NBC News

    1 more headline
  4. first by The Times of India, 6d ago · also Times of India

    1 more headline

and 6 smaller pieces

What people are saying 5 voices from 1 site · best of 18 · verbatim