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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 kingdom's latest major arms purchase since the start of the Iran war. Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly targeted with drone and missile strikes by Tehran's forces since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in February, and has also been hit by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum 2025 was a significant event that underscored the continued partnership between WHO and KSrelief, as well as with other international partners to address critical humanitarian health crises. The agreements made during the forum are pivotal in combating diseases like malaria, cholera, and polio, and ensuring better healthcare for displaced populations. The forum also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s ongoing commitment to global humanitarian efforts, reaffirming its leadership role in tackling some of the world’s pressing health crises.
Six months after Saudi Arabia pulled funding from the breakaway organization, LIV Golf have filed for bankruptcy protection. Several of the world's best players signed on to LIV, so where does that leave golf?
The final round of the 2026 World Rally Championship will be held in Italy instead of Saudi Arabia because of the ongoing unrest in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fresh attacks across their border, raising concerns that the widening Middle East conflict could further disrupt supplies
The deal comes as Iran-backed Houthis escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia and seek control of the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Five people were reportedly killed as the escalation between the two sides continues to spiral. The Houthis denied attacking Mecca, with Saudi Arabia saying one person was killed by drone shrapnel.
The United States on Thursday said it had approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia. Israel has previously voiced concerns about Riyadh buying F-35s, despite a push to normalise relations.
An estimated 125,000 people, including more than 57,000 children, have fled since hostilities erupted in July between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the Yemeni government and its ally Saudi Arabia, with the UN calling it one of the most rapid and volatile waves of displacement in Yemen in years. Thousands have even been making the dangerous crossing across the Bab el-Mandeb strait to Djibouti, many of them children, travelling in extreme heat, often without enough water.
Saudi Arabia has lobbied the US for years to buy F35s, the world's most advanced fighter jet.
